Entries |
Document | Title | Date |
20080205616 | METHOD, APPARATUS AND SYSTEM FOR INITIATING CALENDAR EVENTS - An email client method and server that allow a conference organizer to schedule a conference (e.g., conference call) using a calendar feature found in today's email applications. When the email client is installed to work with the user's email application, an option becomes available to allow access to a conferencing scheduling feature. The server is adapted to receive an incoming conference request via a data message (e.g., email message) and coordinate acceptances to the request. At the time of the conference, the server retrieves a list of conference participants/attendees and their contact information. The server determines whether or not each participant/attendee is a server participant. If the participant/attendee is a server participant, the server will initiate the conference by calling the multiple contact numbers associated with the participant/attendee. Otherwise, the server will call one contact number associated with the participant/attendee. | 08-28-2008 |
20080219426 | Conference Call Access - A method for facilitating access to a conference call is disclosed. The method can comprise allowing a prospective participant to join the conference call after the prospective participant provides a personal ID rather than a conference ID. The method can comprise using at least one of a prospective participant's personal ID or voice for authentication, accessing the prospective participant's electronic calendar, presenting conference call choices from the prospective participant's electronic calendar to the prospective participant, and adding the prospective participant to a selected conference call. | 09-11-2008 |
20080226049 | LOCATION BASED MIXER PRIORITIES IN CONFERENCES - In one embodiment, a method includes identifying a plurality of locations associated with a conference system that has a conference server and a mixer, and prioritizing the locations by assigning a first priority to at least a first location and assigning a second priority to a second location. The second priority is lower than the first priority. The method also includes processing received media streams such that media streams received from endpoints associated with the first location are processed as having a higher priority than media streams received from endpoints associated with the second location. | 09-18-2008 |
20080226050 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ESTABLISHING CONFERENCE EVENTS - A system and method for providing additional information to conference participants with regard to a predefined conference event such as scheduled conference. In various embodiments, outgoing conference indications include an identifier that indicates to a recipient that the conference invitation is being sent due to the occurrence of a scheduled event and/or due to the occurrence of other conditions being met. | 09-18-2008 |
20080226051 | Techniques for managing a multimedia conference call - Techniques for managing a multimedia conference call are described. An apparatus may comprise a wireless device having at least one wireless transceiver and a conference call manager module. The conference call manager module may establish a voice connection and a data connection for a multimedia conference call using the wireless transceiver, the voice connection to communicate media information and the data connection to communicate conference call event information during the multimedia conference call. Other embodiments are described and claimed. | 09-18-2008 |
20080232568 | Adaptive, Multi-channel Teleconferencing System - A method is disclosed to determine the presence of one or more cellular phones in the same sound field as an endpoint that is dedicated for teleconferencing, such as a speakerphone. The teleconference bridge of the illustrative embodiment continually receives geo-location information about the cell phone. Based on the geo-location of the cell phone relative to the position of the speakerphone, the bridge determines whether to include or exclude signals that are received from the cell phone when preparing a signal for transmission to the speakerphone during a conference call. The bridge also determines whether to refrain from transmitting an audio signal to the cell phone, when the bridge infers that the cell phone is being used as a satellite microphone, such as when the cell phone is placed on a conference room table. As a result, each conference call participant is able to use his or her own cell phone as a personal satellite microphone, which can improve the sound quality of the conference call. | 09-25-2008 |
20080232569 | Teleconferencing System with Multi-channel Imaging - A method is disclosed that breaks the “one line, one location” paradigm of teleconferencing in the prior art. The teleconference bridge in the illustrative embodiment is able to utilize more than one audio channel from each location. By having access to more than one audio channel from a teleconference location's sound field, the bridge is able to create a multi-channel effect during a conference call. When more than one microphone is present in the first sound field, they can be used to create a multi-channel effect in a second or other sound field involved in a conference call that has more than one loudspeaker. With the bridge mimicking the multi-channel imaging in one room with the multi-channel imaging in another, the conference call participants can experience audio depth during a conference call and can experience two-dimensional imaging, depending on the microphone or speaker separation that is present. | 09-25-2008 |
20080240390 | Discussion Unit with Removable Rim - Summary The discussion unit ( | 10-02-2008 |
20080240391 | CONFERENCE SYSTEM AND CONFERENCE TELEPHONE LINE SETTING METHOD - Client terminals of participants of a conference, connected to a network, and a server connected to the client terminals are used to authenticate and confirm the participants of the conference. After successful authentication, a telephone line is set among telephone sets of the participants to hold the conference. | 10-02-2008 |
20080240392 | Automated calling system for conference calls - A method and system are provided in which teleconference calls are scheduled in advance and, at an appropriate predetermined time, calls are automatically made to the designated participants of the conference calls thereby avoiding the need for the participants to call into a teleconference center. In a preferred embodiment, when teconferences are scheduled, the telecon participants are designated and their phone numbers are input or otherwise determined, for example, through access to a centralized database. A calendar is monitored and at a predetermined time relative to the scheduled start of the telecon, a server system application initiates the calling of the participants for connection to the telecon. The system may be configured to require participants to enter a password before the connection is completed. The status of the called participants is determined and displayed on individual display devices of the other participants in the telecon. In one example, designated participants are called back at selected intervals if the initial automated call is unanswered. | 10-02-2008 |
20080247528 | Method and system for providing an audio conference - A method and system for providing an audio conference includes receiving audio from a moderator via a circuit-switched telephone network, transmitting a representation of the audio to a first listener group via the circuit-switched telephone network, and transmitting a representation of the audio to a second listener group via a packet-switched network. The audio conference is preferably transmitted to the first listener group and the second listener group in real-time or near real-time (e.g., within a few seconds). Although the method and system could be used with any suitable circuit-switched telephone network, the method and system are preferably used with a public switched telephone network. Further, although the method and system could be used with any suitable packet-switched network, the method and system are preferably used with the Internet. | 10-09-2008 |
20080253546 | Telephone Conference Call Management - Conference calls are managed using a permanent or default password associated with a particular call-in phone number and at least one temporary, dynamically-generated password for that same call-in phone number. The temporary passwords are preferably applicable for a particular time period or interval. If a temporary password is not defined for the time period in which a conference call takes place, the default password may be used. Conference call access is restricted to participants who provide the proper password—namely, the temporary password during a time period for which a temporary password has been generated, and the default password otherwise. | 10-16-2008 |
20080253547 | AUDIO CONTROL FOR TELECONFERENCING - A virtual representation includes objects that represent participants (i.e., users) in a teleconference. Volume of sound data in the teleconference is controlled according to how the users change location and relative orientation of their objects in the virtual representation. | 10-16-2008 |
20080253548 | Systems and Methods for Facilitating Teleconferencing without Pre-Reservation of Conference Resources - A teleconferencing system is provided comprising a telephony interface for answering telephony events routed thereto from a router or switch, and one or more signal processing mechanisms coupled to the telephony interface and locatable by the system. The system includes a characteristic of allowing a user to initiate a teleconference to occur on the system, the pending teleconference unbeknown to the system until a first telephony event representing a teleconference participant for the pending teleconference is received at the telephony interface. | 10-16-2008 |
20080253549 | DISTRIBUTED CONFERENCE BRIDGE AND VOICE AUTHENTICATION FOR ACCESS TO NETWORKED COMPUTER RESOURCES - A system is disclosed for enabling communication between server resources and a wide spectrum of end-terminals to enable users access to the resources of both converged and non-converged networks via voice and/or electronically generated commands. An electronic personal assistant (ePA) incorporates generalizing/abstracting communications channels, data and resources provided through a converged computer/telephony system interface such that the data and resources are readily accessed by a variety of interface formats including a voice interface or data interface. A set of applications provide dual interfaces for rendering services and data based upon the manner in which a user accesses the data. An electronic personal assistant in accordance with an embodiment of the invention provides voice/data access to web pages, email, file shares, etc. | 10-16-2008 |
20080260131 | ELECTRONIC APPARATUS AND SYSTEM WITH CONFERENCE CALL SPATIALIZER - A conference call spatializer includes an input for receiving voice data corresponding to each of a plurality of conference call participants. A spatial processor included in the conference call spatializer provides a spatial component to the received voice data to produce multi-channel audio data that, when reproduced, provides a spatial arrangement in which the voice data for each of the plurality of conference call participants appears to originate from different corresponding spatial locations. | 10-23-2008 |
20080260132 | Low bandwidth but high capacity telephone conference system - A teleconference system comprises VoIP server, a rootnode presider terminal, a first level conference element and a second level conference element. The first level conference element includes the rootnode presider terminal and at least one first participant terminals as childnode of the rootnode presider terminal, wherein at least one of the first participant terminals is the candidate to be selected as second level presider terminal. The second level conference element includes the second level presider terminal and at least one second participant terminals as childnode of the second level presider terminal. The VoIP server is coupled to the rootnode presider terminal, first participant terminals and second participant terminals. | 10-23-2008 |
20080267378 | Conference System - A conference system ( | 10-30-2008 |
20080267379 | CALCULATING A FULLY QUALIFIED NUMBER - A teleconference server may calculate a fully qualified number (FQN), which specifies a string of numbers that, if dialed by an calling party, will establish a call with a called party. The fully qualified number may include, for example, an external access code, an international access code, a country code, a national destination code, and/or a subscriber number. In order to determine a calling party and a called party, the teleconference server may access data regarding a scheduled call. The teleconference server may determine a fully qualified number based on the relationship between the called party and the calling party. The teleconference server may send the fully qualified number to the calling party, which may then initiate a scheduled call with the called party by dialing the received fully qualified number. | 10-30-2008 |
20080267380 | METHOD, SYSTEM, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR DISPLAYING IMAGES OF CONFERENCE CALL PARTICIPANTS - The present invention provides a method, system, and computer program product for displaying images of conference call participants. A method in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes receiving a call from a user to join a conference call, obtaining a phone number of the user, matching the phone number to a stored graphical representation, and distributing and displaying the matching graphical representation to a predetermined set of users. A voice identification/recognition process can also be used to match the user to a stored graphical representation. | 10-30-2008 |
20080273683 | Device method and system for teleconferencing - Disclosed is a device, system and method for teleconferencing. According to some embodiments of the present invention, there is provided a teleconferencing system including a communication module adapted to transmit a digital data stream including data correlated to (e.g. representative of) a sound signal received by one or more microphones from a given sound source along with a relative direction vector or a relative direction vector indicator associated with the given sound source. | 11-06-2008 |
20080292081 | Conference bridge with improved handling of control signaling during an ongoing conference - In an exemplary method audible signals from participants of a conference call during the ongoing conference call are processed by a conference bridge. An incoming audible signal on a first line from a first participant is detected during the conference call with a plurality of other conference call participants coupled via corresponding other lines. The audible signal on the first line is automatically attenuated before information on the first line is summed into a common signal that is transmitted to the other conference call participants. This prevents the other participants from hearing the audible signal during the ongoing conference call. | 11-27-2008 |
20080304645 | Server Based Conference Call Volume Management - A method for automatically adjusting the volume of individual conference call participants during a conference call. The present invention comprises a Configuration Program (CP) and a Volume Adjustment Program (VAP). The CP allows a user to configure the automatic volume adjustment options. The VAP continuously monitors the conference call and adds new participants to a display screen as the new participants are added to the conference call. Based upon the settings that the user selected in the CP, the VAP adjusts the volume of the conference call participant when the new participant is added, adjusts the volume of each conference call participant upon the occurrence of the time interval, or continuously adjusts the volume of each conference call participant. The VAP also allows the user to manually adjust the volume of all of the participants or an individual participant using a plurality of navigation buttons. | 12-11-2008 |
20080304646 | Conference Call Setup Automation - The present invention automatically establishes a connection to each participant of a teleconference. Conference call set up and connect information may be provisioned in a variety of ways, including via a menu-based Dual Tone Multiple Frequency (DTMF) mechanism and via a form or formatted file sent from a subscriber. Additionally, a conference participant is not tied to one telephone number or other such address. The present invention queries a profile database to determine a conference participant's current location before connecting the participant to the conference. Therefore a conference participant who happens to be working from home on a particular day need only update one database, and any conferences in which the telecommuting worker is expected to participate will automatically be connected to the worker's home telephone number, rather than the worker's office telephone number. | 12-11-2008 |
20090003575 | Determining Conditions of Conferences - Tools and techniques for determining conditions of conferences are described herein. These tools may provide machine-readable storage media that contain machine-readable instructions that, when executed by the machine, cause the machine to calculate a global conference parameter that represents a rate at which several different conferences are processed. The machine may also calculate individual conference parameters representing a duration of time spent in processing the conferences considered individually. | 01-01-2009 |
20090003576 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING CALL AND CHAT CONFERENCING - An approach is disclosed for providing an integrated call and chat conferencing system. A first participant joins in a conference, wherein the first participant communicates over a voice session. The voice session is converted into a text stream and stored. A second participant joins in the conference, wherein the second participant communicates over a chat session. The stored converted text stream is presented to second participant. | 01-01-2009 |
20090016512 | Rules-Based On Hold Control During an Interactive Teleconference Session - Putting and removing participants to and from “on hold” during an interactive teleconference is based on pre-determined rules. These pre-determined rules define conditions that must be met before participants are allowed to transmit messages during the interactive teleconference. As soon as the conditions are met, affected participants are allowed to transmit messages during the interactive teleconference. | 01-15-2009 |
20090016513 | SERVICES RELATED TO CONFERENCE CALLS - An improved conference calling system that operates to correlate a conference call with other conference calls, along with collateral information pertinent to the conference call, and deliver the correlated information to conference call participants or other entities. When setting up a conference call, a reservation system interface enables a user to not only schedule the conference call, but to also enter information that can be used to (a) correlate the instance conference call with previous or future conference calls, (b) set up for the recordation of the conference call, (c) set up for the delivery of the recorded conference call through one or more media channels, and (d) provide the recorded conference call as well as any related collateral and correlated conference calls to various parties. | 01-15-2009 |
20090016514 | DYNAMIC CONFIGURATION OF CONFERENCE CALLS - A conferencing system that can be configured by a host, and then reconfigured on the fly, in real time. The host initially provides configuration information to the system to define the initial operation of the conference call. The host can then update this information during the conference call to reconfigure the conference call. For instance, the information may include a question set. The initial question set is presented to participants as they enter the conference call. When the configuration information is changed by providing a new question, the new question is then presented to the participants in the conference call. | 01-15-2009 |
20090016515 | COMMUNICATION CONFERENCE SYSTEM, VOICE CHANGING DEVICE, AND SIGNAL CONVERTING ADAPTOR - A communication conference system that enables users who have only a connecting unit via a telephone line network and users who have only an IP connecting unit to hold a talk session mutually without a need of an expensive dedicated conference server is provided. A talk session device | 01-15-2009 |
20090016516 | Disposable telephone numbers - Methods, systems, and products are disclosed that provide disposable numbers for a conference service. A disposable number is assigned to a conference bridge that is only activated for a defined period of time, after which the disposable number is disposed and deactivated. A call is received to the disposable number, and the call is routed to the conference bridge. A database is queried that associates the disposable number to a subscriber's number. Subscriber information is retrieved that describes when a conference bridge subscription is active. If the conference bridge subscription is active, then a caller is connected to the conference bridge. If the conference bridge subscription is inactive, then the caller is prompted to pay for a conference service. | 01-15-2009 |
20090028316 | Method of and System for Managing Conference Calls - A method of and system for managing a conference call among participants and a moderator provides a control mode in which only one participant can speak at time. All participants other than the speaker are muted. The system maintains a talk queue. When a participant requests to speak, the system places the participant in the talk queue. The system may announce to the moderator that the participant has registered to speak. The system may also announce to the moderator the participant's position in the talk queue. When a speaking participant relinquishes, or is preempted from, the speaking position, the system mutes the speaking participant. The system informs the participant at the top of the talk queue that it is his or her turn to speak and unmutes that participant, whereby that participant becomes the new speaking participant. The system removes the new speaking participant from the talk queue. The system may announce their respective positions to the other participants in the talk queue. The system may include priority codes. If a participant enters a priority code when he or she requests to speak, the system places the participant at the top of the talk queue. If the participant does not enter a priority code, the system places the participant at the bottom of the talk queue. | 01-29-2009 |
20090034706 | Teleconferencing Systems and Methods - A method implemented by a teleconferencing system includes assigning a teleconferencing bridge to a teleconference responsive to at least a current workload of the teleconferencing bridge, and forwarding a first plurality of communication sessions corresponding to the teleconference to the teleconferencing bridge, wherein the teleconferencing bridge is configured to connect each of the first plurality of communication sessions to each other communication session among the first plurality of communication sessions. | 02-05-2009 |
20090052645 | TELECONFERENCE SYSTEM WITH PARTICIPANT FEEDBACK - A method, medium and implementing processing system are provided for facilitating teleconference-based meeting moderation by the addition of a “live feedback” feature, with instrumentation such as by means of an instant messaging systems when instant messaging conference systems equipped with this feature are used to supplement teleconferences, the participants provide instant feedback (anonymously, if desired) to the meeting moderator. The audience can let the moderator know their valuation of the current discussion. Based on feedback, the moderator can take appropriate action, such as to steer the conversation into areas that will be received favorably by the meeting participants. | 02-26-2009 |
20090052646 | Automatic Conferencing System - A method for automatically commencing a conference call includes a computer that is connected to a telephone network. The computer automatically calls telephone numbers of conferees at a scheduled time and date and conferences together the conferees who answer their telephones. The telephone numbers and the time and date of the scheduled conference call are inputted to the computer prior to the conference call. The computer may connect conferees to one another automatically as soon as the conferees answer their telephones. Optionally, the computer may connect the conferees to one another only after the conferees choose to be connected. | 02-26-2009 |
20090060157 | CONFERENCE CALL PRIORITIZATION - An improved solution for prioritizing conference call participants is provided. In an embodiment of the invention, a method includes detecting a sound of a first conference call participant; disabling a distribution of a sound of a second conference call participant upon the detecting; and enabling the distribution of the sound of the second conference call participant after an expiration of a time period. In an embodiment, a higher priority may be assigned to a specific participant, such as the host, an administrator, or manager. | 03-05-2009 |
20090060158 | METHOD AND SYSTEM TO DETECT A MULTI-PARTY TELEPHONE CALL - A computer-implemented system to detect a multi-party telephone call, in one example embodiment, comprises a communication module to establish a telephone call to a requested telephone number, a detection module to detect an indication of a multi-party telephone call in progress, the indication being based on observing a period of silence transgressing a predetermined threshold. The system to detect a multi-party telephone call further comprises an interruption module to obtain, from a called party associated with the requested telephone number, a reference telephone number, a comparison module to compare the reference telephone number to the requested telephone number, and a terminating module to selectively terminate the telephone call based on the comparing. | 03-05-2009 |
20090067602 | APPARATUS, SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PRESENTING INFORMATION PERTAINING TO A USER QUERY - An embodiment for presenting information pertaining to a user query on a presentation device receives a user query via a user interface, the user query corresponding to a request for information of interest; accesses information associated with a receiving device; identifies at least one party based upon the receiving device information and based upon the information of interest; accesses party information corresponding to the at least one identified party; and presents the party information on a presentation device communicatively coupled to the receiving device. | 03-12-2009 |
20090067603 | Pre-arranged, mutually agreed to, VoIP or VoIM call - Presented is a method for pre-arranging a VoIP or VoIM phone call. A first date and time for the VoIP or VoIM phone call and participants for the VoIP or VoIM phone call is selected. The availability of the participants during the first date and time is determined. If any of the participants are unavailable, one or more subsequent dates and times are selected. An invitation for the VoIP or VoIM phone call is then transmitted. Acceptance of the invitation is then received from the participants thereby indicating that the date and time has been agreed to. After the acceptance is received, the participants' location and contact information for the agreed date and time are obtained. On the agreed upon date and time, the VoIP or VoIM phone call is automatically routed to the participants' respective locations and the call is automatically established without any involvement from the participants. | 03-12-2009 |
20090074169 | Multi-Line Communication System - A method and apparatus are provided that allowing a user to simultaneously participate in two separate conversations. The method includes the steps of the user independently adjusting a volume of an audio signal for each of the two separate conversations, presenting the adjusted volume of the audio signals from the two separate conversations to the ears of the user, presenting a voice input from the user to a first of the two separate conversations and muting a voice input from the user to the second of the two separate conversations. | 03-19-2009 |
20090080632 | SPATIAL AUDIO CONFERENCING - Audio in an audio conference is spatialized using either virtual sound-source positioning or sound-field capture. A spatial audio conference is provided between a local and remote parties using audio conferencing devices (ACDs) interconnected by a network. Each ACD captures spatial audio information from the local party, generates either one, or three or more, audio data streams which include the captured information, and transmits the generated stream(s) to each remote party. Each ACD also receives the generated audio data stream(s) transmitted from each of the remote parties, processes the received streams to generate a plurality of audio signals, and renders the signals to produce a sound-field that is perceived by the local party, where the sound-field includes the spatial audio information captured from the remote parties. A sound-field capture device is also provided which includes at least three directional microphones symmetrically configured about a center axis in a semicircular array. | 03-26-2009 |
20090080633 | METHOD, APPARATUS AND SYSTEM FOR IMPLEMENTING CONFERENCE SERVICE - The present invention discloses a method, an apparatus and a system for implementing the conference service. The method includes: a conference initiator sends a conference operation message that carries conference information which includes conference initiator information and information of at least one conference participant, or includes information of more than one conference participant; adds more than one user terminal denoted by the conference information to the conference. With the present invention, only one operation is needed to set up a conference. The implementation of conference service is greatly simplified. | 03-26-2009 |
20090086948 | Method and apparatus for managing audio conferencing - A telecommunications system, including a network; a plurality of user devices operably coupled to the network; and a teleconferencing system operably coupled to the network, the teleconferencing system including a hosting service configured to allow a moderator to set up and schedule a teleconference among a plurality of participant user devices and an announcement service configured to allow for distributing moderator-defined information to the participants by automatically sending the moderator information as moderator-selected media upon a log in to the conference. | 04-02-2009 |
20090086949 | Method and apparatus for mapping of conference call participants using positional presence - A method includes receiving audio electronic business card data during a conference; comparing said audio electronic business card data with voices of conference speakers to confirm identities of said speakers; performing an acoustic triangulation to determine a position of speakers; correlating a position of said speakers with said identities; and displaying locations of said speakers. | 04-02-2009 |
20090086950 | Active call processing and notifications - Embodiments of the invention relate generally to computing devices and systems, as well as software, computer programs, applications, and user interfaces, and more particularly, to processing active calls and stored calls in a communication network for packetized and/or synchronous communications, and to generating notifications relating to active calls and stored calls. Other embodiments relate to creating and implementing bypass rules that allow a party to bypass a set of default prompts to a the party's communication device while enabling the caller device to access functions of a call processing system. | 04-02-2009 |
20090092240 | Audio Conferencing - A communications conference management system is prepared for the establishment of conference calls, by pre-programming the management system with identification data for participants authorised to be connected to a specific conference residing on a conference bridge. The conference management system is arranged such that connection to a specific conference residing on a bridge can be made in response to recognition of the network identifier. | 04-09-2009 |
20090097628 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DEVICE SWITCHING THROUGH A SERVER - A telecommunication system and method for seamlessly switching mobile devices during a conversation without placing the conversation on hold or otherwise parking the conversation. | 04-16-2009 |
20090103705 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ESTABLISHING AND FACILITATING AUDIO CONFERENCE OVER NETWORK - The invention provides a method and apparatus for establishing and facilitating an audio conference over a network. The method transmits a notice information including a linking application to each of participant stations. Then, the method, based on the linking applications, links the participant stations and the chairman station to a site over the network to conduct the audio conference. Thereby, after receiving the notice information, the participants only have to execute the linking applications to automatically link to the site to participate in the audio conference as the audio conference begins. | 04-23-2009 |
20090129576 | RELAY DEVICE, COMMUNICATION TERMINAL, SIGNAL DECODER, SIGNAL PROCESSING METHOD, AND SIGNAL PROCESSING PROGRAM - It is an object of the present invention to provide a relay device, a communication terminal, a signal decoder, a method for processing a signal, and a program for processing a signal, which make it possible to achieve a multi-party communication system capable of preventing a significant deterioration of the quality of a sound obtained by decoding a speech/audio signal without increasing a cost for processing, as compared with the conventional communication terminals, the conventional communication techniques, and the like. The relay device comprises a receiver | 05-21-2009 |
20090147938 | Removing near-end frequencies from far-end sound - By-bandwidth voice-switching is performed during doubletalk between a near-end teleconference device and a far-end teleconference device. This may involve receiving far-end voice data from the far-end teleconference device. Near-end voice data is also received at the near-end teleconference device. Frequency subbands of the near-end voice data that having substantial energy are identified. Before playing the far-end voice data on one or more loudspeakers of the near-end teleconference device, frequency subbands from the far-end voice data frequency subbands thereof that correspond to the identified frequency subbands of the near-end voice data are attenuated and/or eliminated. | 06-11-2009 |
20090154679 | MULTI-PARTY DIGITAL INTERCOMMUNICATION SYSTEMS AND ASSOCIATED METHODS OF OPERATION - This disclosure discloses methods and systems for subscribers in a multi-party conversation to obtain the right to speak efficiently and fairly. | 06-18-2009 |
20090168984 | AUDIO PROCESSING FOR MULTI-PARTICIPANT COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS - Audio processing is provided to determine whether an audio issue is present within a multi-participant communication system such as a teleconference or videoconference bridge or a trunk dispatch system. Audio issues such as background noise, background conversations, or other unwanted audio that is being interjected into the multi-participant conversation and that may be dominating the audio are detected by measuring characteristics of audio samples taken from the communication ports of the multi-participant communication system. A correction may then be applied to the audio received through the communication port by a processor of the multi-participant communication system without intervention by an administrator, such as by muting the port, applying a noise cancellation to audio from the port, or time-shifting the audio from the port. | 07-02-2009 |
20090168985 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AN INTERNET PROTOCOL MULTIMEDIA SUBSYSTEM-BASED THREE-WAY CALL - A communication system provides for an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS)-based three way call. A mobile station (MS) that receives an invitation to participate in a call determines to switch the call to a three way call. The MS conveys a request to an IMS network to switch the call to a conference call. An IMS network server receives the request, determines a unique identifier for the conference call, and provides the conference call identifier to the MS via one or more of a Session Initiation Protocol Refer message, Message message, and Notify message. In response to receiving the conference call identifier, the MS dials into the conference call and requests that the call originator also dial in. The IMS network server then requests that the call originator dial in, and the call originator does so in response to the request. | 07-02-2009 |
20090190736 | COMMUNICATIONS - A method and system for establishing a conference call is presented. The method uses the Session Initiation Protocol for transporting conference information to a conference server, wherein the conference is represented in a markup language. | 07-30-2009 |
20090202060 | TELEPHONIC VOICE AUTHENTICATION AND DISPLAY - An improved solution for telephonic voice authentication and display is provided. A method of identifying conference call participants includes detecting a sound made by one of conference call participants; identifying this conference call participant based on the sound; and then displaying an attribute of the conference call participant to one of the other conference call participants. The attribute may include a picture, a name, and/or other information related to the identified conference call participant. | 08-13-2009 |
20090207988 | Method and system for telecommunication sessions using only initial signal messages - A telecommunications system includes a telecommunications network. The system includes n nodes, where n is an integer greater than or equal to 3, in communication with the network. The system includes a host node that creates a session through the network between the n nodes. The system includes an additional node in communication with the network, the host node adding the additional node to the session without any signaling messages being sent from the n nodes. A method for telecommunicating. | 08-20-2009 |
20090214016 | HIERARCHAL CONTROL OF TELECONFERENCES - A teleconference between at least two participants is evaluated by monitoring the teleconference and detecting a triggering event if more than one participant desires to speak at the same time. Upon detecting a triggering event, e.g., detecting an attempt of one or more participants to interrupt another participant, or detecting a request initiated by one or more participants to interrupt another participant, a dominant source is selected from among the ones of the participants attempting/requesting to speak based at least in part upon a determined hierarchal order of those participants attempting/requesting to speak. A participant is then selected from the participants to have the role of the dominant participant based upon the selected dominant source and only the speech of the dominant participant is conveyed to each participant through the teleconference system. | 08-27-2009 |
20090220063 | Using Personalized Tones To Indicate When A Participant Arrives And/Or Leaves A Conference Call - A method, system and computer program product for identifying which participant joined or exited a conference call. A participant to a conference call is able to select a personalized tone from a list of predetermined tones or to upload a personalized tone to a designated site, where the personalized tone is to be played upon the participant joining and/or exiting the conferencing call. In this manner, the other participants of the conference call would know which participant joined or exited the conference call. | 09-03-2009 |
20090220064 | METHODS AND APPARATUS TO MANAGE CONFERENCE CALLS - Methods and apparatus to manage conference calls are described. An example method of managing a conference call includes maintaining a record of participants of the conference call; enabling a first one of the participants to request an adjustment of a volume of a current speaker; and in response to a request from the first participant, adjusting an amplification setting associated with the current speaker in a preference file associated with the first participant. | 09-03-2009 |
20090220065 | Method and apparatus for active speaker selection using microphone arrays and speaker recognition - A method and apparatus for performing active speaker selection in teleconferencing applications illustratively comprises a microphone array module, a speaker recognition system, a user interface, and a speech signal selection module. The microphone array module separates the speech signal from each active speaker from those of other active speakers, providing a plurality of individual speaker's speech signals. The speaker recognition system identifies each currently active speaker using conventional speaker recognition/identification techniques. These identities are then transmitted to a remote teleconferencing location for display to remote participants via a user interface. The remote participants may then select one of the identified speakers, and the speech signal selection module then selects for transmission the speech signal associated with the selected identified speaker, thereby enabling the participants at the remote location to listen to the selected speaker and neglect the speech from other active speakers. | 09-03-2009 |
20090232291 | One Button Conference Initiation - A method includes receiving at a local conference coordinator a first indication of a scheduled conference that includes a plurality of conference details. The method also includes transmitting at least one of the plurality of conference details to a remote conference coordinator and receiving at least one additional conference detail regarding the scheduled conference from the remote conference coordinator. The method additionally includes determining conference scheduling information comprising at least one resource to be used for the scheduled conference based on the plurality of conference details and the at least one additional conference detail. The method also includes identifying a conference room supporting the at least one resource to be used for the scheduled conference. The method further includes transmitting conference scheduling information to the conference room such that an interface in the conference room can initiate the scheduled conference based on a single indication received from a user. | 09-17-2009 |
20090245497 | Telecommunications system, method of managing a telecommunications system for optimized bandwidth usage during conference calls and program product therefor - A telecommunications system, method of managing a telecommunications system and program product therefore. Telecommunications system branches are linked to a network and to each other in a wide area network (WAN). Each branch includes telecommunications devices and a media processor that supports a concurrent port for each local telecommunications device. A controller, e.g., at a data center, selects media processing resources to aggregate system media during conference calls for efficient bandwidth use. The controller may select resources based on user location, Call Admission Control (CAC) policy bandwidth usage, and availability of media resources and media processor ports. | 10-01-2009 |
20090252315 | Audio Signal Routing - A communication system that includes multiple conferencing devices connected in a daisy-chain configuration is communicably connected to far-end conference participants. Multiple conferencing devices provide improved sound quality to the far-end participants by reducing aural artifacts resulting from reverberation and echo. The daisy-chain communication system also reduces the processing and transmission time of the near-end audio signal by processing and transmitting the audio signal in frequency domain. Each conferencing device in the daisy chain performs signal conditioning on its audio signal before transmitting it in the frequency domain to a mixer. The output signal of the mixer is converted back to the time domain before being transmitted to the far-end. The daisy-chain configuration also provides a distributed bridge to external communication devices that can be connected to each conferencing device. | 10-08-2009 |
20090252316 | Distributed Bridging - A communication system that includes multiple conferencing devices connected in a daisy-chain configuration is communicably connected to far-end conference participants. Multiple conferencing devices provide improved sound quality to the far-end participants by reducing aural artifacts resulting from reverberation and echo. The daisy-chain communication system also reduces the processing and transmission time of the near-end audio signal by processing and transmitting the audio signal in frequency domain. Each conferencing device in the daisy chain performs signal conditioning on its audio signal before transmitting it in the frequency domain to a mixer. The output signal of the mixer is converted back to the time domain before being transmitted to the far-end. The daisy-chain configuration also provides a distributed bridge to external communication devices that can be connected to each conferencing device. | 10-08-2009 |
20090262914 | PROCESSING MULTI-PARTY CALLS IN A CONTACT CENTER - A data processing apparatus is configured for receiving a call comprising multiple callers who are identified in a multi-party caller identification value that is received with the call; retrieving from a database, based on the multi-party caller identification value, information about each of the multiple callers; based on the retrieved information and a collective importance algorithm, determining or selecting one or more call treatment attributes for the call; and processing the call using the one or more call treatment attributes that are determined or selected. For example, a contact center or call center can provide differentiated services based on collective attributes or profiles, or a weighted average priority, of multiple people who are calling together, rather than only taking into account information about a single calling party. Call processing attributes such as priority, queuing, routing, and screen pop-up content, may be selected based on collective data about multiple callers. | 10-22-2009 |
20090296908 | Telecommunications Endpoint that Prompts a User to Focus on a Monitored Call - A telecommunications endpoint and method are disclosed that involve the monitoring of a conference call by the endpoint, on behalf of a call participant who is either at the endpoint or elsewhere, and the prompting of the participant when his/her presence is needed. The monitoring of the call involves determining whether certain phrases that are relevant to and initialized by the participating endpoint user are spoken during the call. Such phrases might comprise the user's name, the name of a relevant project, the name of a relevant work item, and so forth. At a point in the call when one of the phrases has been spoken, the endpoint prompts the user of the event and provides relevant information that enables the user to refocus attention towards the call. | 12-03-2009 |
20090296909 | TELECONFERENCE SUBSCRIPTION CONTROL FOR AGENDA SUBSCRIPTION TOOLS - A method, system, and computer program product for autonomously controlling caller access to a teleconference based on specified preferences of a moderator. Using preferences established by the moderator of a teleconference, a conference control system may grant or restrict access of participants of the teleconference. The conference control system may authorize callers of a teleconference based on the current agenda item being discussed or the amount of time a caller has been on the ongoing teleconference. When a specific caller is not authorized to be on a conversation, the conference control system may mute the conversation for a specific caller, or disconnect the caller. The conference control system may autonomously re-connect the caller when an authorized agenda item for the caller is being discussed. | 12-03-2009 |
20090296910 | Enabling and disabling terminating features of a terminating switch - An apparatus in one example has: a telecommunication system having an originating switch operatively coupled to at least one terminating switch; the terminating switch having at least one terminating call feature for a respective terminating terminal operatively coupled thereto; and the telecommunication system having a terminating call feature control function such that enabling and disabling of the at least one terminating call feature for the respective terminating terminal is effected by a predetermined signal message from the originating switch. Thus, embodiments of the present method and apparatus provide a mechanism for communication from the originating switch to the terminating switch regarding the nature of the call and the kinds of terminating features that are to be applied or not applied. | 12-03-2009 |
20090310770 | MONITORING PARTICIPANTS IN A CONFERENCE CALL - Embodiments monitor the participation of remote users to conference calls even when they are connected through simple telephone, i.e. without multimedia (or Internet) connection. In particular, an embodiment enables callers to monitor an up to date list of participants without the need of using a dedicated phone or connecting through a PC and a dedicated line to a central Conference Call system. This can be highly useful in case of travelling users who are expected to join the call from different places. Embodiments may not need a complex network infrastructure or network protocol change, since the information about the participant list can be transmitted over the normal phone line using a predetermined set of signals (e.g. an acoustic signal). Both the Conference Call server and the peripheral devices may refer to the same set of signals. Embodiments may be transparent to those users who do not wish to (or cannot) use the new functionality. | 12-17-2009 |
20090310771 | Systems and Methods for Providing Enhanced Telephone Services - A method for providing enhanced telephone services via a computerized telephone services device for use in conjunction with multiple telephone lines and providers. According to embodiments of the invention, a subscriber to telephone services or a group of subscribers may be reached on multiple telephone lines from a single dial-in number; calls in progress may be transferred seamlessly from one line associated with a subscriber to another; and group calling features may be enhanced. | 12-17-2009 |
20090316870 | Devices and Methods for Performing N-Way Mute for N-Way Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) Calls - The disclosed are methods and computing devices configured to engage in Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) conference calls and configured to participate as a moderator of VOIP conference calls allow a moderator or delegate to monitor the mute status of call participants and/or control which participants are muted. In this way, a participant would not be required to necessarily adhere to conference call muting etiquette. For example, in the event that a participant's line is noisy, which may be unknown to the participant, the moderator could mute the line. Other distractions to the conference call as a whole could therefore be controlled as well. The ability to mute determine and/or control the muting of a participant device furthermore enables the moderator to engage rules of conduct and/or adhere to rules of order that may be desirable in particular types of conference calls. | 12-24-2009 |
20090316871 | METHOD FOR PROVIDING ENHANCED AUDIO CONFERENCING SERVICES IN A TELEPHONY SYSTEM - A method is provided for enhanced audio conferencing services. A request is received and authenticated for enhanced audio conferencing services. A calendar for the user is accessed, and scheduled conference calls of the user are determined from the calendar. A list of audio content for the user is accessed and provided to the user, such that a selected audio content from the list can be played in accordance with the scheduled conference calls. The user has options to play the audio content in between conference calls, louder than the conference calls, softer than the conference calls, and in one speaker while the conference calls play in another speaker. The scheduled conference call is called into so that it plays, and the selected audio content is played in accordance with the selected option. A trigger can stop the audio content and play the scheduled conference call in its place. | 12-24-2009 |
20090316872 | DESCRIPTIVE AUDIO CHANNEL FOR USE WITH MULTIMEDIA CONFERENCING - A computer-implemented method of conducting a multimedia conference can include identifying a participant from a plurality of participants as a descriptive audio participant in the multimedia conference and detecting a state change during the multimedia conference. The method can include correlating the state change with an audio cue and outputting the audio cue to the descriptive audio participant. | 12-24-2009 |
20090316873 | Estimating number of agents for multiple chat channels - Method and system of estimating a number of agents to service contacts arriving on multiple chat channels in an automatic contact distribution system. In some embodiments, estimated average times that agents and contacts spend, respectively, composing a single chat message and an estimated average time of a chat session are used to derive an inflated handle time for any selected number of chat channels, an effective number of agents is computed for the inflated handle time, and that effective number of agents is divided by the selected number of channels. | 12-24-2009 |
20090323916 | NOTIFICATION TO ABSENT TELECONFERENCE INVITEES - A method includes receiving an indication of an elapsed time since a scheduled teleconference meeting start and attendance of the teleconference meeting, determining from the indication whether to issue a notification to an absent invitee of the teleconference meeting, and selectively issuing the notification to the absent invitee. | 12-31-2009 |
20100020954 | METHOD FOR CARRYING OUT AN AUDIO CONFERENCE, AUDIO CONFERENCE DEVICE, AND METHOD FOR SWITCHING BETWEEN ENCODERS - A method and an audio conference device for carrying out an audio conference are disclosed, whereby classification information associated with a respective audio date flow is recorded for supplied audio data flows. According to a result of an evaluation of the classification information, the audio data flows are associated with at least three groups which are homogeneous with regard to the results. The individual audio data flows are processed uniformly in each group in terms of the signals thereof, and said audio data flows processed in this way are superimposed in order to form audio conference data flows to be transmitted to the communication terminals. Further, an audio conference device and a method for switching between a first encoder and a second encoder for an audio data connection are disclosed, wherein the encoders use, inter alia, encoding parameters influenced by an audio data history, for the encoding process. The audio data connection from the first encoder to the second encoder is switched in such a way that, during the switching process, the encoding parameters of the second encoder are matched with the encoding parameters of the first encoder, and when the encoding parameters are matched, the audio connection is switched to the second encoder. | 01-28-2010 |
20100020955 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IMPLEMENTING GENERALIZED CONFERENCING - Generalized conferencing is implemented using a special conferencing matrix that maps conference inputs to conference outputs. The conferencing matrix defines respective output media to be provided to each of the conference participants based on respective input media received from the other conference participants. | 01-28-2010 |
20100027775 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR FACILITATING MULTI-POINT COMMUNICATIONS - A conferencing system, method and communication device for facilitating a conference call between a plurality of terminal devices is presented. The conference system comprises: a conference server for establishing the conference call; and re-connection means adapted to detect if a terminal device is disconnected from the conference call and to re-connect a terminal device to the conference call if it is detected that the terminal device is disconnected from the conference call. | 02-04-2010 |
20100034366 | PARTICIPANT ALERTS DURING MULTI-PERSON TELECONFERENCES - A method for alerting teleconference participants includes: activating a mute function in response to a participant command; tracking a teleconference's conversation audio; determining the level of alertness of a participant; determining whether the participant's name is detected in the teleconference audio; wherein in the event the participant's name is detected: determining whether the context in which the participant was addressed requires the participant to respond; wherein in the event the participant is required to respond: alerting the participant that the participant has been summoned and is required to make a response; providing a conversation summarization to the participant; and deactivating the participant's mute function. | 02-11-2010 |
20100034367 | Network call back to add conference participants and/or media capabilities - An exemplary method includes receiving at a calling party network a notice of an intended communication between a calling endpoint and a plurality of called endpoints located in a plurality of called party networks, wherein the intended communication requires a resource in each of the calling party network and the called party networks for supporting a streaming data protocol. The notice is forwarded toward the plurality of called party networks and in parallel with said forwarding, a determination of resource availability for the calling party network is initiated for the intended communication. The method further includes determining for the intended communication the determination of resource availability for the calling party network, wherein the determination is for a first resource for the first network; and verifying resource availability for the intended communication based on the determination for the calling party network and a resource availability indicator for each called party network. | 02-11-2010 |
20100040217 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IDENTIFYING AN ACTIVE PARTICIPANT IN A MULTIPLE USER COMMUNICATION SESSION - Participants of a conference call dial in to or are invited to participate in a conference by a central conference calling center. Participant identification information is transmitted from the conference calling center to each of the participants. The participant identification information includes an unique identifier and an address associated with each of the participants of the conference call. Audio signals received at an electronic device are interrogated to identify the participant that originated the audio signals (the active participant). The audio signals and/or a graphical representation of the active participant is output in a predetermined manner based on the identification of the active participant that originated the audio signals. | 02-18-2010 |
20100061535 | Notification of Dropped Audio in a Teleconference Call - A method is disclosed that enables a participant in a conference call to monitor, as he is speaking, whether his speech is getting through to the other participants. A teleconference bridge receives audio signals from a group of telecommunications endpoints that are involved in a conference call. The bridge generates audio signals to be transmitted, which are based on one or more of the received audio signals. During the ongoing process of minimizing the presence of acoustic echo, the bridge might exclude one or more of the received audio signals from the transmitted audio signals. When this occurs, particularly when an active talker is being excluded, the bridge transmits an indication to one or more of the endpoints as part of one of the transmitted audio signals. The indication can be audible such as a tone or a voice, visual such as a flashing light, or tactile such as vibration. | 03-11-2010 |
20100061536 | METHOD FOR CARRYING OUT A VOICE CONFERENCE AND VOICE CONFERENCE SYSTEM - A method and a voice conference system for carrying out a voice conference are disclosed, the system having at least three voice terminals in a communication system. At least one of the voice terminals is associated with a first group such that the voice data provided by the respective receiving channels thereof is decoded into individual voice signals for said group. Said individual voice signals are superimposed to form an aggregate voice signal and the aggregate voice signal is encoded into first aggregate voice data. Furthermore, at least two of the voice terminals are associated with a second group such that the second group has only voice terminals wherein an extensive inactivity on the respective receiving channels thereof is identified. The first aggregate voice data is supplied to the voice terminals associated with the second group by the respective receiving channels for a respective output of the first aggregate voice data. | 03-11-2010 |
20100061537 | MANAGEMENT SERVER FOR TELECONFERENCE SYSTEM AND COMPUTER PROGRAM - Provided is a teleconference system enabling easy participation in a conference from a place geographically apart, securing active proceeding by individual presenting of statement, and enabling drastic decrease of trouble of creating a result by the conference. Statement information inputted by an input means of a terminal device is received and temporarily held and then the received statement information is transmitted to all the terminal devices participating in a teleconference. The statement information displayed on a display means of the terminal device is sorted by an input means of the terminal device and received as statement attribute data. The received statement attribute data and the statement information are stored in an information database. Then, based on the statement attribute data and the statement information, a commitment related to the teleconference is generated. | 03-11-2010 |
20100061538 | Methods and Systems for Calling Conference Participants to Establish a Conference Call - A conference call system comprising at least a gateway, a conference reservation agent and a multiport conference unit, can establish conference calls by calling conference call participants at a phone number specified by the conference call participants. When a user initiates a conference, an identifier is assigned to the conference and a URL referencing this identifier is transmitted to each conference participant. Upon clicking the URL, conference participants are presented with a web-form within which the participants can entered a preferred phone number and further join the conference. The multiport conference unit receives each participant phone number and calls the participants at that phone number. Upon establishing a telecommunication connection with each participant, the multiport conference unit bridges the multiple call legs to establish the conference call. | 03-11-2010 |
20100061539 | CONFERENCE CALL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - Systems and methods are described for improving connection to and management of conference calls. An inference/rules engine and human backed speech interpretation subsystem enable the system to efficiently use knowledge about the call to identify the caller and determine to which conference he or she should be connected. During the conference, a virtual assistant is available to interpret and execute system commands spoken by a caller, such as in a side conference accessed via DTMF tones. | 03-11-2010 |
20100067680 | Automatic mute detection - A system and methodology for managing a mute function muting a connection to a conference call or other communication is disclosed. The system is implemented when the mute function is activated on a line connected to a conference call through a telecommunications network. The method includes receiving a sound, determining whether the sound meets predetermined criteria and if the sound meets predetermined criteria then performing a mute status operation. | 03-18-2010 |
20100067681 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING A TELECOMMUNICATIONS EXTENSION SERVICE FOR MULTIPLE TELECOMMUNICATIONS UNITS - A system and method provide a telecommunications extension service for a subscriber. The system allows a subscriber to identify one or more telecommunications units to serve as extensions of one of the subscriber's telecommunications units when a call is directed to the subscriber's telecommunications unit. A list of numbers associated with telecommunications units to serve as extensions is maintained by the subscriber and may be stored at a service control point. Upon receipt of a call directed to the subscriber's telecommunications unit, ringing is provided to the subscriber's telecommunications unit and the telecommunications units serving as extensions. After the call is answered by the first telecommunications unit to be answered, the remaining telecommunications units can join the in-progress call. | 03-18-2010 |
20100080374 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IDENTIFYING AND ELIMINATING THE SOURCE OF BACKGROUND NOISE IN MULTI-PARTY TELECONFERENCES - A mechanism is provided that allows participants on the conference call to identify, and then mute or filter, a participant(s) responsible for introducing the noise, regardless of whether the noise is caused by transmission impairments or by the participant(s) being in a noisy location. For example, individual users could be able to press a “test” button that could block each of the participants one at a time. This would allow the source of the noise to be identified. This “test button” could be one or more of provided at the endpoint(s), be enabled through a web interface or, for example, through a dedicated conference call interface at the endpoint(s) or at the conference bridge. The blocking of each participant could occur through interaction with the main PBX using, for example, in-band signaling to the PBX. Once the source(s) of the noise is identified, noise mitigation can be applied as needed. | 04-01-2010 |
20100080375 | System and Method of Managing Conference Calls Through The Use of Filtered Lists of Participants - The system and method establish a conference call between a plurality of communication devices. Each communication device may have one or more participants. The number of participants on each communication device is determined. The system and method get a profile for each participant in the conference call. The profile contains at least one parameter. A filtered list of participants in the conference call is generated based on at least one parameter in the profiles. The filtered list of participants is then presented to various participants in the conference call. | 04-01-2010 |
20100086118 | Communication Network System and Call Pickup Method Thereof - The invention discloses a call pickup method for a communication network system comprising a first terminal and a second terminal. The method comprise the steps of: (a) setting a common group extension in each of the first terminal and the second terminal; (b) transmitting a pickup request message via the common group extension from the second terminal while the first terminal is receiving an incoming call from a third terminal; (c) receiving the pickup request message from the second terminal via the common group extension at the first terminal; (d) transmitting a transfer message related to the pickup request message from the first terminal to the third terminal; (e) transmitting an invitation message from the third terminal to the second terminal; and (f) establishing the incoming call between the second terminal and the third terminal. | 04-08-2010 |
20100098230 | Auto-Dial Connection Into Conference Calls - Methods and systems for dialing into conference calls are presented. A meeting request is received by an attendee, and the dial-in information in the meeting request is stored. A meeting reminder is displayed at the proposed date and time or a predetermined period prior to the proposed date and time, and a conference call confirmation instruction or cancellation instruction is received from the attendee. The conference call dial-in number is automatically dialed at the proposed date and time. A network connection is established and the conference call meeting identification number is transmitted. | 04-22-2010 |
20100111279 | Systems and Methods for Generating a Calling List For a Conference Call - Systems and methods are described that facilitate the generation of calling lists for use in planning or setting up conference calls. The system may include a communications module and a contact database comprising a plurality of contact records, each contact record corresponding to a different contact. Each contact record may include at least one contact address and at least one descriptor. For example, the descriptor may include a job title and/or expertise for the contact. The system may also include a selection module configured to select at least one of the contacts and also configured to compare the at least one descriptor to at least one qualifier criteria. The method may include: providing a contact database comprising a plurality of contact records, each contact record corresponding to a different contact; wherein each contact record comprises at least one contact address and at least one descriptor; determining at least one qualifier criteria; comparing the qualifier criteria to the at least one descriptor; determining a calling list corresponding to at least one contact. | 05-06-2010 |
20100124320 | CALL OUT AND HUNT FUNCTIONS FOR TELECONFERENCING SERVICES - A teleconference system for coordinating a prearranged teleconference includes a memory that stores established parameters for contacting teleconference participants. The teleconference system also includes a caller that systematically hunts and automatically calls out to designated teleconference participants over a communications network based upon the established parameters, without the need for the designated participants to call in to the teleconference. | 05-20-2010 |
20100124321 | System and method for dynamic audio conference call configuration and management - A new approach is proposed that contemplates audio conference systems and methods to expand the capacity a conference call by utilizing both a mixing engine that enables a first group participants to be able to both listen to and speak at the conference call, and a broadcast engine that broadcasts the conference call to a second group of participants who are only interested in listening to, but not speaking at the conference call. During the conference call, participants at the mixing engine and the broadcast engine can be dynamically adjusted. | 05-20-2010 |
20100135478 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ESTABLISHING A CONFERENCE IN TWO OR MORE DIFFERENT LANGUAGES - “System and method for conferencing communication devices associated with participants conversant in different languages has a system for connecting communication devices with one or more other communication devices where each communication device is associated with one of a plurality of different languages, and one of the different languages is designated as the main language. The system in response to receiving a request for a conference call, connects two or more of the communication devices in a conference call when two or more of said communication devices are associated with the main language, connects each of the communication devices associated with a different language than the main language with the communication device of an interpreter selected for interpreting between the different language and the main language, and then connects the communication device of the interpreter for each of the different languages than the main language to the conference call.” | 06-03-2010 |
20100150330 | Appointment-Related Communications - A method may include identifying information stored in an application on a user device. The information may be associated with an appointment-related call. The method may also include forwarding a link to the user device via which a communication session with another party can be established, or automatically dialing a telephone number associated with the appointment-related call. | 06-17-2010 |
20100150331 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TELEPHONY SIMULTANEOUS TRANSLATION TELECONFERENCE - In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a system for carrying out a simultaneous translation teleconference, the system comprising: a teleconferencing room; a scheduler, for managing a schedule of a human simultaneous translator and of the teleconferencing room; and a user interface between a user and the scheduler, for ordering a teleconference between the human translator and participants in the teleconferencing room; thereby allowing carrying out a simultaneous translation teleconference between the participants and the human translator. The user interface may be an Internet menu, an audio menu, a video menu and so on. According to one embodiment of the invention, the user interface is embodied as a code dialed with a requested telephone number, thereby informing the system of the telephone company thereof to identify a request for scheduling a teleconferencing room for carrying out an STT. Preferably, the code is associated with at least one language. | 06-17-2010 |
20100158231 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ENABLING GROUP COMMUNICATION - A method for enabling group communications includes: establishing a group identity for a communication group comprising a first set of communication devices, and storing an identity for each of the communication devices in the first set; establishing a session to associate a second set of communication devices with the group identity, wherein the communication devices in the second set are different from the communication devices in the first set, wherein the session with the second set of communication devices is set up irrespective of a call being initiated for the communication group; detecting a first event associated with the initiation of a call for the communication group; and in response to detecting the first event, using the stored identities to join at least one of the communication devices in the first set to the session. | 06-24-2010 |
20100158232 | ACCESSING RECORDED CONFERENCE CONTENT - The present invention provides participants in a conference and any other authorized users access to recorded content from the conference. In one embodiment, the conference output is continuously buffered to provide the recorded content as the conference progresses. At any time while the conference is in progress, a conference participant or other authorized user may access the recorded content to review the audio or other media information that has been recorded so far in the recorded content. In another embodiment, after the conference is over, the recorded content may be archived and made accessible to the conference participants and others via the conference system, which will keep track of the location of the recorded content and conference with which it is associated. | 06-24-2010 |
20100177880 | CONFERENCE-CALL PARTICIPANT-INFORMATION PROCESSING - In one embodiment, a telecommunication device for Internet-based conference calling with one or more similar telecommunication devices. The telecommunication device is used by a plurality of co-located participants, each participant having an individually identifiable microphone. The telecommunication device accesses a database correlating each individually identifiable microphone to participant ID and information. During the conference-call setup, the similar telecommunication devices exchange participant IDs and corresponding information. The conference-call audio content is then exchanged using RTP packets, where the telecommunication devices generate RTP packets containing the participant IDs of participants contributing to the content of each RTP packet. Receiving telecommunication devices then display corresponding participant information when playing the audio content of received RTP packets to identify current speakers. Individual, identifiable microphones improve the audio quality received by remote participants and permit the automatic exchange and display of the current participants and the current speakers. | 07-15-2010 |
20100189238 | System and Method for Delayed Phone Conferencing - A system and method for phone conferencing through an interactive message. Information for a phone conference is received. The interactive message is sent to one or more users specified in the information inviting the one or more users to participate in the phone conference. A response is received including contact information and a time for a user to join the phone conference. | 07-29-2010 |
20100189239 | ACCESSING DETAILS OF TELECONFERENCE CALL INVITEES - Accessing information on call invitees that may include initiating a teleconference call, receiving an inquiry during the teleconference call regarding additional information on at least one person invited to join the call, obtaining the additional information on each of the at least one person, and sending the additional information. Also, a processing device may include a network interface, at least one second interface configured to establish a connection between at least three telephones, and a controller configured to initiate a teleconference call between the at least three telephones, receive an inquiry during the teleconference call regarding additional information on at least one person invited to join the call, obtain the additional information on each of the at least one person, and send the additional information. | 07-29-2010 |
20100189240 | Contacting a person outside of a teleconference without leaving the teleconference - Contacting a person while conducting a call that may include initiating a teleconference call, receiving a message during the teleconference call from a first person who has joined the teleconference call directed to a second person that has not joined the teleconference call, forwarding the message to the second person during the teleconference call, receiving a reply message from the second person during the teleconference call, and forwarding the reply message to the first person during the teleconference call. A processing device that may establish a teleconference call between telephones, receive a message during the conference call from a first telephone that has joined the teleconference call destined for a second telephone that has not joined the teleconference call, deliver the message to the second telephone, receive a reply message from the second telephone, and forward the reply message to the first telephone during the conference call. | 07-29-2010 |
20100189241 | PROVIDING MULTILEVEL CONFERENCE CALL PARTICIPANTS - Providing multilevel teleconference call participants that may include receiving a request from a person to join a teleconference call, identifying a defined level of the person, and providing a notification regarding a status of persons having certain defined levels that one of have joined the teleconference call and have not joined the teleconference call. Further, a processing device may include a network interface, at least one second interface configured to establish a connection between at least two telephones, and a processor configured to receive a request from a person to join a conference call, identify a defined level of the person, and provide a notification regarding a status of persons having certain defined levels that have joined the teleconference call or have not joined the teleconference call. | 07-29-2010 |
20100189242 | RULES-BASED TELECONFERENCING - Rules-based teleconferencing that may include receiving criteria regarding invitees to a teleconference call, generating rules based on the criteria, and generating a notification regarding the invitees to the teleconference call based on the rules. The criteria may include a quorum of a minimum number of invitees that must be in attendance at the teleconference call or a list of specific invitees required to be in attendance at the teleconference call. A processing device may include a network interface, one or more second interfaces configured to establish a connection between at least three telephones, and a controller configured to establish a teleconference call between the at least three telephones, receive criteria regarding invitees to the teleconference call, generate rules based on the criteria, and generate a notification regarding the invitees to the teleconference call based on the rules. | 07-29-2010 |
20100189243 | ENHANCED ANNOUNCEMENT OF CONFERENCE CALL PARTICIPANTS - Enhanced announcement of conference call participants that may include allowing a party to join a teleconference call, identifying a class of the party that has joined the teleconference call, and generating a notification in the teleconference call related to the class of the party that has joined the teleconference call. A processing device may include a network interface, at least one second interface configured to establish a connection between at least three telephones, and a processor configured to allow a party to join a teleconference call, identify a class of the party that has joined the teleconference call, and generate a notification in the teleconference call related to the class of the party that has joined the teleconference call. The notification may be a tone, a signal, a name, or other type notification. | 07-29-2010 |
20100189244 | CONFERENCE-CALL SYSTEM AND CONFERENCE-SPECIFIC ACCESS CODES - A conference-call system receives a conference-specific access code from an invited participant of a conference call and a conference-specific access code from an initiator of the conference call. The conference-call system grants the invited participant access to the conference call when the conference-specific access code from the invited participant matches the conference-specific access code from the initiator. The conference-specific access code from the initiator and the invited participant each include a base code portion and a portion added to the base code portion by the initiator of the conference call. | 07-29-2010 |
20100195812 | AUDIO TRANSFORMS IN CONNECTION WITH MULTIPARTY COMMUNICATION - The claimed subject matter relates to an architecture that can preprocess audio portions of communications in order to enrich multiparty communication sessions or environments. In particular, the architecture can provide both a public channel for public communications that are received by substantially all connected parties and can further provide a private channel for private communications that are received by a selected subset of all connected parties. Most particularly, the architecture can apply an audio transform to communications that occur during the multiparty communication session based upon a target audience of the communication. By way of illustration, the architecture can apply a whisper transform to private communications, an emotion transform based upon relationships, an ambience or spatial transform based upon physical locations, or a pace transform based upon lack of presence. | 08-05-2010 |
20100208880 | Teleconferencing Monitoring Method - A method that allows a user to have his or her telecommunications terminal automatically monitor one or more teleconferences so that he or she participates in the relevant portions of a teleconference without the disadvantages associated with the prior art is described. The illustrative embodiment teaches a method that can monitor one or more teleconferences and determines when there is a discussion that is relevant to the user. At that point, the user is automatically joined to the teleconference bridge where the teleconference is taking place. | 08-19-2010 |
20100215164 | METHODS AND ARRANGEMENTS FOR GROUP SOUND TELECOMMUNICATION - A method of audio scene management in a teleconference or other group sound telecommunication is presented, in which teleconference at least a first transmitting party, a second transmitting party and a receiving party participates. The method comprises receiving of signals representing sound of the first transmitting party and sound of the second transmitting party. The method further comprises obtaining of measures of sound activity for the first and second transmitting parties, respectively and selecting a first angle and/or a second angle based on the obtained measures of sound activity. The method further comprises processing of the received signals into processed signals such that sound from the first transmitting party is experienced by the receiving party as emanating from the first angle while sound from the second transmitting party is experienced as emanating from the second angle, with respect to the receiving party. Finally signals representing the processed signals are outputted. | 08-26-2010 |
20100215165 | CONFERENCE AUDIO SYSTEM, PROCESS FOR DISTRIBUTING AUTO SIGNALS AND COMPUTER PROGRAM - Conference audio systems are widely known and are usually used in political or economic debates, at fairs and wherever a plurality of people discuss with each other supported by a microphone-amplifier-loudspeaker system. In known systems each delegate of a conference has a seat with a working table in which the microphone and the loudspeaker is integrated. A conference audio system is proposed comprising a plurality of delegate units ( | 08-26-2010 |
20100220844 | Method and arrangement for capturing of voice during a telephone conference - Method of and arrangement for associating voice clips with a document, the document being reviewed by at least one participant during a telephone conference set up between a convener communication set (T | 09-02-2010 |
20100220845 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR FACILITATING CONFERENCE CALLS USING SECURITY KEYS - Systems and methods are described that facilitate a conference call between a plurality of communication devices. The method may comprise: providing a first primary communication device; providing a second primary communication device; providing a conference call controller; establishing a first control link between the first primary communication device and the conference call controller; communicating first identification data between the first primary communication device and the conference call controller via the first control link; establishing a media link between the first and second primary communication devices via the conference call controller. In certain embodiments, the first identification data corresponds to at least one participation level of the first primary communication device with respect to the media link. The method may further comprise establishing a second control link between the second primary communication device and the conference call controller; communicating second identification data between the second primary communication device and the conference call controller via the second control link; wherein the second identification data establishes a participation level of the second primary communication device with respect to the media link. | 09-02-2010 |
20100220846 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RECONNECTING A DEVICE TO A GROUP CALL - A system and method for reestablishing a voice communications session moderated by a group call server between two or more telephony devices. The method is performed by a processor monitoring the communications session. The method comprises: storing one or more data records representing group call information; detecting disconnection of at least one participating telephony device from the group communications session, and determining that the disconnection was not intentionally initiated; accessing the stored call group information data and causing signals to enable reestablishment of participation by the disconnected device to be sent to the disconnected device; and upon receipt by the group call server from the disconnected device of signals representing a request to reconnect the disconnected device, outputting command signals for reestablishing a communications session between the disconnected device and at least one other device participating in the group communications session. | 09-02-2010 |
20100220847 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CONFERENCE CALL SCHEDULING VIA E-MAIL - A method and system for conference call scheduling using e-mail. The method and system can receive and parse an e-mail received from a conference moderator, containing scheduling and participant information and schedule a conference call with minimal further user intervention. In essence, the method and system can operate as a virtual administrative assistant to identify and collect telephone contact information for each of the proposed conference call participants, using a customizable hierarchy of internal and external sources of contact information. In this manner, the conference moderator does not need know telephone contact information for each conference call participant | 09-02-2010 |
20100220848 | METHOD AND COMMUNICATION DEVICE FOR PROVIDING TELEPHONE CONFERENCES - The invention relates to a method for providing a telephone conference between a first communication device and at least one second communication device in a communication network, in which upon detection of a key being pressed on a second communication device to initiate a conference, the time of detection is taken as a basis for ascertaining dialup data stored in the communication network for the purpose of setting up a conference, the second communication device initiates an attempt at a connection to the first communication device, and the dialup data are taken as a basis for setting up a connection to implement the conference. The invention also relates to an arrangement for carrying out the method. | 09-02-2010 |
20100226486 | METHOD OF INFORMING A TELECONFERENCE PARTICIPANT THAT A PERSON-OF-INTEREST HAS BECOME ACTIVE WITHIN THE TELECONFERENCE - A computer implemented method, a computer program product, and a data processing system inform a teleconference participant that a person-of-interest has become active within the teleconference. A user is identified. A person-of-interest, an alert condition, and a notification method are received from the user. The identification, the alert condition, and the notification method are then stored in a person-of-interest data structure. When a user connects to a teleconference, the person-of-interest data structure is retrieved. The teleconference is then monitored for the occurrence of the alert condition. Upon the occurrence of the alert condition, the notification is delivered to the user according to the notification method. | 09-09-2010 |
20100226487 | METHOD & APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE STATE OF A COMMUNICATION SYSTEM - A networked conferencing device includes at least one speaker, a display and a plurality of environmental sensors such as cameras, microphones, light level sensors, thermal sensors and motion sensors. The conferencing device receives environmental information from the sensors and processes this information to identify qualified events. The identified qualified events are then used to determine a next powered state for the conferencing device. If the next powered state is different than a current powered state, then the conferencing system transitions to the next powered state. | 09-09-2010 |
20100246792 | Administering Participant Attendance Of Teleconferences - Computer-implemented methods, apparatus, and products for administering participant attendance of teleconferences, including monitoring, by a teleconference administration device comprising one or more modules of automated computing machinery, present call status of a user's telephone; determining, by the teleconference administration device in dependence upon one or more calendar events representing previously scheduled teleconferences, whether the present call status of the user's telephone conflicts with a previously scheduled teleconference; and if the present call status of the user's telephone conflicts with a previously scheduled teleconference, notifying, by the teleconference administration device, prospective participants of the conflict. | 09-30-2010 |
20100266112 | METHOD AND DEVICE RELATING TO CONFERENCING - A system in which a processor processes received signals corresponding to a voice of a particular participant in a multi-party conference; extracts characteristic parameters for the voice of each particular participant; compares results of the characteristic parameters of each particular participant and determines a degree of similarity in the characteristic parameter; and generates a virtual position for each participant voice, using spatial positioning, where a position of voices having similar characteristics are spaced apart from each other in a virtual space. | 10-21-2010 |
20100272249 | Spatial Presentation of Audio at a Telecommunications Terminal - The present invention utilizes pseudo-stereo for the communication of secondary information to the user of a telecommunications terminal, such as a speakerphone. In particular, the terminal utilizes a method for the presentation of secondary information to the user of the terminal in a teleconference call by adjusting the spatial properties of the monaural audio received at the user's terminal. An audio communication is modified so as to appear that the communicated audio is arriving from a particular direction in relation to the user's approximate position, wherein the direction that is assigned to the audio depends on one or more characteristics of the call participant who is originating the audio. Each characteristic of a call participant on a call can comprise, while not being limited to, the customer satisfaction of the call participant, the urgency of a need of the call participant, the group membership of the call participant, or the product ownership of the call participant. | 10-28-2010 |
20100278323 | METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A MULTI PARTY CALL AND A SERVICE CONTROL ENTITY AND A SERVICE SWITCHING ENTITY FOR PERFORMING THE METHOD - The invention relates to a method for controlling a multi party call between three or more communication entities within a communications network. The communications network comprise a service control entity and a service switching entity. The service control entity performs: a) receiving a notification of a multi party event associated with the multi party call from the service switching entity, b) determining a procedure for handling the multi party event, c) transmitting instructions to the service switching entity in accordance with the procedure for handling the multi parry event. | 11-04-2010 |
20100303221 | Integrated Chat Client with Receiving Party Choice - Phone systems for an integrated chat client service are provided. A representative phone system includes a call processing system operable to check a chat server for accessibility of a calling party chat client associated with a calling party and coupled to the internet, the call processing system being further operable to prompt a called party to select to talk or chat. Methods to connect telephone calls and answer telephone calls are also provided. | 12-02-2010 |
20100316207 | CONFERENCE CALL HOLD WITH RECORD AND TIME COMPRESSION - The present invention provides methods, devices, and systems for allowing a conference call participant to place a conference call on hold. Additionally, a participant is provided with a number of rejoin and/or hold options that can be executed when the participant puts the conference call on hold and takes the conference call off of hold. The rejoin and/or hold options available to the participant may vary depending upon participant preference or the nature in which the participant is rejoining the conference call. | 12-16-2010 |
20100329440 | Background Training for Conferencing or Telephony Acoustic Echo Canceller - In an electronic device having an acoustic echo canceller and being capable of implementing audio applications and at least one of a conferencing application and a telephony application, there is provided a background training method for the acoustic echo canceller. The method includes the step of utilizing ( | 12-30-2010 |
20110002455 | SOUND EVENT PROCESSING WITH ECHO ANALYSIS - Apparatus, methods, and machine-readable articles of manufacture enable a telephone system to distinguish between actual events and echoes. Events may include conferees' voice and DTMF commands. In selected embodiments, the system categorizes an event received on one channel as a real event if the energy of the event's waveform is greater than concurrent energy of every other channel of the same conference. Otherwise, the event is stored. When the system receives a new event of the same type on a channel of the same conference during a predetermined period, it compares the energies of the new and stored events. If the energy of the new event exceeds that of the stored event, the new event becomes the stored event, and the old stored event is ignored. At the end of the period, the stored event is categorized as a real event and forwarded to appropriate application code. | 01-06-2011 |
20110033033 | TECHNIQUES FOR CONTROLLING ACCESS TO TELECONFERENCES - Techniques for managing teleconferences. A plurality of people are associated with a plurality of identifiers such that each person is associated with at least one identifier. For each caller to a teleconference associated with a different identifier, authentication information is solicited from the caller. Authentication information is received from the caller in response to the solicitation and a determination, based on the received authentication information, is made whether the caller is associated with one of the identifiers. | 02-10-2011 |
20110033034 | High-Assurance Teleconference Authentication - A method is provided for authorizing an authenticated user into a teleconference session as a participant that avoids some of the costs and disadvantages of doing so in the prior art. The authorization is a combination of the enterprise user's authentication at work and cryptographic authorization to the teleconference system by the inviter. When a user goes to work and connects with his or her office computer to the network of the user's employer, a secure single sign-on (SSO) access control procedure is executed. In a secure single sign-on (SSO) access control procedure, the user submits authentication information, such as a user name and password, to an identity provider and receives back a credential token when the identity provider determines that the user name/password pair is valid. The credential token is saved on the user's computer and used for further authentication. | 02-10-2011 |
20110033035 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INITIATING A CONFERENCE CALL - The present invention is a system and method for initiating conference calls via an instant messaging system to reduce the effort required to initiate and manage the call. The system uses an IM connection between a requesting party and a conference call server to inform the conference call server of the desire to initiate the conference call. The conference call server may initiate the conference call by having involved parties called by a conference bridge, thus reducing the effort required by the parties to join the call. | 02-10-2011 |
20110038472 | Teleconference Monitoring and Alerting Method - A method is disclosed which allows an invitee to a conference call, who is not present on at least part of the call, to have the call monitored in his or her absence. The invitee is offered the opportunity to review, ahead of the call, one or more electronic documents that are pertinent to the call. The invitee can specify one or more pointers for the purpose of identifying positions that correspond to portions of the document that are relevant to the invitee. When a relevant portion of an electronic document has been reached or is soon to be reached during the call, a message is transmitted to the absent invitee. Additionally, the invitee can annotate slides or portions of an electronic document with comments that he or she wants addressed during the conference call. A message is subsequently transmitted to the invitee, providing responses to the comments left earlier. | 02-17-2011 |
20110051917 | Conference Waiting Room Method and Apparatus - The present invention comprises a method for hosting: (i) a first conference call on a first teleconferencing bridge from time t | 03-03-2011 |
20110058662 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR AURALLY POSITIONING VOICE SIGNALS IN A CONTACT CENTER ENVIRONMENT - A contact center media server for aurally positioning participants of a contact center transaction at aural positions designated by a contact center agent. The media server includes a communications interface coupled to a controller and adapted to interface with a plurality of voice paths. Each of the voice paths is associated with one of a plurality of participants in a contact center transaction. A three-dimensional (3D) spatializer engine is coupled to the controller and can receive incoming voice signals received over voice paths and corresponding aural position data. The 3D spatializer engine processes the incoming voice signals and generates outgoing voice signals that include signal characteristics that aurally position the first outgoing voice signals at an aural position with respect to the contact center agent indicated by the aural position data. | 03-10-2011 |
20110064210 | METHOD FOR INDICATING CALL PROGRESS STATE, CONFERENCE CONTROL DEVICE, AND CONFERENCE SYSTEM - A method, equipment, and conference system for a call progress state are provided. The adopted scheme includes: after a call request is sent to a called terminal, multimedia indication information of a call progress state is obtained. The multimedia indication information of the call progress state is sent to a management station of conference control device and/or a conference terminal, so that the management station of conference control device and/or the conference terminal output a corresponding multimedia indication of a progress state according to the multimedia indicating output information of the call progress state. | 03-17-2011 |
20110075829 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING A CONFERENCE BRIDGE - A method for controlling a conference bridge may include: a) establishing status information for a conference call and storing the status information in a storage device, the status information for maintaining a participant status for user devices; b) setting the status information to indicate user devices participating in the conference call are connected; c) transmitting a unique identifier to each user device via an in-band signal; d) receiving a line-on-hold signal and the corresponding unique identifier from at least one user device, the line-on-hold signal being an in-band signal; and e) updating the status information in response each line-on-hold signal received to indicate the corresponding user device has placed the conference call on hold. An apparatus for may include a storage device for storing the status information, a processor, a transmitting device for transmitting the unique identifier, and a receiving device for receiving the line-on-hold signal. | 03-31-2011 |
20110075830 | Conference Material Bot Method and Apparatus - A method comprising establishing, with a telecommunications management system, a first conference call comprising a first caller at a first telecommunications terminal, a second caller at a second telecommunications terminal, and a third caller at a third telecommunications terminal. Once the first conference call is established, the telecommunications management system appraises the first caller's contribution, the second caller's contribution, and the third caller's contribution to the first conference call. The telecommunications management system receives a request to set-up a second conference call and establishes the second conference call, wherein the telecommunications management system decides whether to include the first caller, the second caller, and the third caller in the second conference call based, at least in part, on the telecommunications management system's appraisal of the first caller's contribution, the second caller's contribution, and the third caller's contribution to the first conference call. | 03-31-2011 |
20110091029 | DISTRIBUTED MULTI-PARTY CONFERENCING SYSTEM - Techniques for multi-party conferencing are provided. A plurality of audio streams is received from a plurality of conference-enabled devices associated with a conference call. Each audio stream includes a corresponding encoded audio signal generated based on sound received at the corresponding conference-enabled device. Two or more of the audio streams are selected based upon an audio characteristic (e.g., a loudness of a person speaking). The selected audio streams are transmitted to each conference-enabled device associated with the conference call. At each conference-enabled device, the selected audio streams are decoded into a plurality of decoded audio streams, the decoded audio streams are combined into a combined audio signal, and the combined audio signal is played from one or more loudspeakers to be listened to by a user. | 04-21-2011 |
20110096916 | METHODS, APPARATUS AND ARTICLES OF MANUFACTURE TO DETECT ECHO DURING TELECONFERENCES - Example methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture to detect echo during teleconferences are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes collecting first signal data for a first teleconference leg of a teleconference, collecting second signal data for a second teleconference leg of the teleconference, computing an echo detection metric from the first and second signal data, and comparing the echo detection metric to a threshold to determine whether an echo is likely present on the first teleconference leg of the teleconference. | 04-28-2011 |
20110103567 | Customer Service Agent Assisted Social Networks - The present invention comprises a method for: (i) receiving information from a caller C | 05-05-2011 |
20110103568 | Teleconference Scheduling and Activity Reporting Method - A teleconference system is disclosed that monitors the activity levels of one or more attendees of a teleconference and, based on that monitoring, provides information about attendees who are active participants and attendees who are passive listeners. The information includes evaluative feedback or a conference roster that is ordered based on the activity levels of the attendees, or both. Furthermore, the teleconference system takes into account that the potential invitees to a teleconference being scheduled can be different from one another in terms of their importance to a teleconference being scheduled, or in terms of the relevance of the teleconference to those invitees. The system is also able to consider the activity levels that are reported for a teleconference in progress when the system schedules a new teleconference. | 05-05-2011 |
20110135077 | Geospatial Telephony System - A geospatial telephony system initiates conference calls between participants based on location of participants. For example, a node within the system can receive a location at which a first communication device is geospatially located and can enable a conference call to be initiated between the first communication device and at least one other communication device based on that location. | 06-09-2011 |
20110135078 | COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT AND METHOD TO DETECT NOISY CONNECTIONS ON A TELEPHONIC CONFERENCE BRIDGE - A method and a computer program product for performing the method are disclosed for detecting a noise level on a conference bridge telephone call, the method including but not limited to establishing via a first conference server, a plurality of two-way telephonic communication end user device connections between a plurality of end user devices and a plurality of conference ports, wherein each of the plurality of conference ports are in data communication with the first conference server; measuring a noise level on each one of the end user device connections; detecting a noisy end user device connection having a noise level above a threshold level on at least one of the plurality of end user device connections; identifying the noisy end user device connection; and taking predetermined mitigation steps to reduce the noise from the noisy end user device connection. | 06-09-2011 |
20110135079 | ACCESSING A CALENDAR SERVER TO FACILITATE INITIATION OF A SCHEDULED CALL - A conference control server accesses a calendar server in order to identify calls scheduled by an organizer and to facilitate initiation of the calls at the scheduled time. A method for integrating the calendar server and the conference control server includes identifying a plurality of resources, which each have a resource identifier, and registering to receive notifications of updates to those resources. If update notifications are received, the conference control server determines meeting information for a scheduled conference indicated by the update notifications. The conference control server may also provide a portion of the meeting information to a resource identified by the meeting information. | 06-09-2011 |
20110142221 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATED GROUP CALLING SERVICE BASED ON KEY WORDS - Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for establishing conference calls. A system practicing the method receives a key word from a speaker on a call, retrieves a list of entities associated with the key word, and sends invitations to the entities to join the call. In one variation, the system further receives from an invited entity a request to join the call, and adds the invited entity to the call. In another variation, the system further records a portion of the call, and transmits the recorded portion of the call to invited entities which are not added to the call. The key word can be a word or phrase, and can be a spoken word and/or alphanumeric text. The system can dynamically generate the list of entities based on the key word. The invitation can be sent via an automated call, email, and/or an SMS message. | 06-16-2011 |
20110150198 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MERGING VOICE CALLS BASED ON TOPICS - A system and method for merging a first voice call and a second voice call. A first topic discussed during the first voice call is compared to a second topic discussed during the second voice call. If the first topic matches the second topic, the first voice call may be merged with the second voice call. A semantic analysis may be performed on the first topic and the second topic to determine if the first topic and the second topic match one another. Filter criteria may be defined by participants of the first voice call and the second voice call that identify criteria that may preclude merger of the first voice call and the second voice call. | 06-23-2011 |
20110150199 | METHOD FOR DESIGNATING OF HOSTING CONTROL FOR A CONFERENCE CALL - A conference calling system and method for designating of hosting control from a server device. In a conference call session, one of the client devices may be designated as a host device, wherein that host device is permitted to implement hosting functions. In some instances, the required host device may not be available for the scheduled conference call, but may be available prior to the conference call. The host device may provide hosting control commands to the server device prior to the conference call. Such hosting control commands may include such commands as delegating of hosting control functions in relation to the designated host device. This may allow the presently designated host device to end communications with the server device prior to starting a conference call, while having the server device implement the specific hosting control commands. | 06-23-2011 |
20110150200 | WEB GUIDED COLLABORATIVE AUDIO - A system for conducting a conference call based on a community document. The system includes a data network, a first conference client device and a second conference client device communicatively coupled to the data network, wherein the first conference client device is associated with a first user of the conference call and the second conference client device is associated with a second user of the conference call, and a conference server device communicatively coupled to the data network. | 06-23-2011 |
20110150201 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A CONFERENCE ASSISTANCE SYSTEM - A method for operating a conference assistance system is provided. The method includes receiving a conference code over a call established with an originating system, wherein the conference code is entered by a user over the call to initiate a conference session, and in response to receiving the conference code, identifying a conference system for the user. The method also includes upon identifying the conference system, initiating the conference session on behalf of the user with the conference system, and transferring the conference code to the conference system to authorize the conference session. The method further includes upon authorization of the conference session, connecting the conference system with the originating system to enable the conference session for the user. | 06-23-2011 |
20110164740 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ENHANCED CONFERENCE CALL SECURITY - A method for controlling access by of communication devices to a conference call, the method comprising associating proximity settings with a conference call, the proximity settings indicating a acceptable proximity of other communication devices relative to a selected communication device; sensing by the selected communication device proximity of the other devices within its proximity of the communication device to obtain proximity information; and determining, by a processor, from the obtained proximity information and the proximity settings an action to be performed with reference to the conference call. | 07-07-2011 |
20110164741 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ENHANCED CONFERENCE CALL SECURITY - A method for controlling access, of a communication device, to a conference call, the method comprising determining contextual attributes related to the device, evaluating the contextual attributes against a set of access requirements and connecting the device to the conference call if one or more of the access requirements is satisfied. | 07-07-2011 |
20110182415 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING CALL CONFERENCING SERVICES - Methods and apparatus for establishing a conference call may include receiving, a registration request for the conference call with one or more participants. The methods and apparatus may further include sending a notification to the participant with an invitation comprising conference call information to join the conference call. In addition, the methods and apparatus may include receiving a request from the participant to join the conference call by selecting the conference call information in the invitation. The methods and apparatus may further include establishing the conference call with the participant. | 07-28-2011 |
20110194683 | System and Method for Handling A Meeting Request - Data processing and communications devices are configured to generate, using command signals received from at least one user input device, a signal set representing a meeting request, the meeting request signal set comprising signals representing one or more parameters for a proposed meeting and configured for causing a second data processing and communications device to initiate a voice call on receipt of command signals representing a response to the meeting request; and forward the generated meeting request signal set to the second data processing and communications device. | 08-11-2011 |
20110200183 | VARIABLE NOISE CONTROL THRESHOLD - An interface allows a simple control to be shared by one or more conference participants. One exemplary embodiment maps complex techniques associated with conference control into a simple control. The control may be a single slider to adjust both the amount of control and the level of aggressiveness to get the best quality in a dynamic and changing environment. Another exemplary type of control would be to use two sliders—one to select and/or aggregate conference control mechanisms, and the other to adjust the aggressiveness of the selected conference control mechanism or aggregated mechanisms. Another exemplary type of control could be a simple rotary dial to emulate the two-dimensionality of two or more sliders. These controls could have the techniques associated with each position dynamically chosen and/or updated, for example, throughout a conference. | 08-18-2011 |
20110228921 | Method and System for Live Collaborative Tagging of Audio Conferences - Methods are disclosed in which participants in a communication session contribute tags—during the course of the communication session—such that the tags are visible to at least some of the participants as the communication session progresses. This creates a “live” collaborative tagging environment. | 09-22-2011 |
20110228922 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR JOINING CONFERENCE CALLS - Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for scheduling an event to automatically join a user to a conference call. In one aspect, the method includes receiving an invitation for a user to join a conference call, extracting from the invitation a scheduled conference call time, conference call address information, conference call authentication information, and a conference call modality, and scheduling an event to join the user to the conference call via the conference call modality at the scheduled conference call time based on the conference call address information and the conference call authentication information. In another aspect, the system retrieves a scheduled event at a scheduled time, extracts the address, authentication, and modality information for the conference, and joins the user to the conference automatically at the scheduled time. | 09-22-2011 |
20110261943 | Method, Device, and System for Processing Multi-Channel Audio Signals - A method for processing multi-channel audio signals includes receiving L channel audio signals from participating conference terminals, decoding the L channel audio signals, and determining N conference terminals whose audio signals are to be mixed from the participating conference terminals according to the data obtained through decoding; selecting an encoder as a common encoder from L−N encoders of the participating conference terminals except the N conference terminals whose audio signals are to be mixed, encoding decoded audio signals of the N conference terminals whose audio signals are to be mixed, and sending encoded data to conference terminals corresponding to the L−N encoders (indicating that the number of encoders is equal to the value of L minus N); and updating encoding status information of L−N−1 encoders except the common encoder to synchronize with encoding status information of the common encoder. | 10-27-2011 |
20110268262 | Location-Aware Conferencing With Graphical Interface for Communicating Information - A method for providing a virtual conference includes obtaining participant location information associated with participant identifiers, establishing an audio conference using the participant identifiers, receiving information and communicating the information anonymously to one or more displays, during the audio conference. A distributed system includes client devices associated with respective displays and a conferencing system via a network. A first interface obtains location information associated with respective participant identifiers. An audio conference application establishes an audio conference using the participant identifiers. A second interface receives information and communicates the information anonymously to one or more displays, during the audio conference. | 11-03-2011 |
20110268263 | CONFERENCING ALERTS - Various embodiments of systems, methods, and computer programs are disclosed for interfacing with a conference. One embodiment is a method for interfacing with an audio conference via a communication network. One such method comprises: a conferencing system establishing an audio conference, via a communication network, with a first participant; a client device requesting to be notified of a predetermined event associated with the audio conference; the conferencing system determining that the predetermined event occurs; the conferencing system providing an alert to the client device indicating the occurrence of the predetermined event; and the client device presenting the alert. | 11-03-2011 |
20110280387 | Method and System to Manage Connections on a Conference Bridge - A method is for managing connections on a conference bridge. The method includes determining a first noise level associated with a connection between a conference port and a conference server while there is no substantial contribution to the first noise level by a participant's device, determining a second noise level associated with a connection between the participant's device and the conference port while there is no substantial contribution to the second noise level by the participant's device, and determining whether the participant's device should be allowed to be connected to the conference bridge or whether at least one corrective action should be performed based on at least one of the first and second noise levels. Corresponding computer-readable mediums and systems are disclosed. | 11-17-2011 |
20110280388 | AUDIO CONVERSATION APPARATUS - An audio conversation apparatus includes an assignment section for individually assigning units of spatial information which are different from each other, either to parties-to-talk-with each belonging to one of a plurality of predetermined groups, respectively, or to the plurality of predetermined groups, respectively; and a localization section for localizing, in accordance with the units of spatial information assigned by the assignment section, audio data transmitted from outside, and one of a reproduction section connected to the audio conversation apparatus and a reproduction section included in the audio conversation apparatus outputs an audio in accordance with the audio data having been localized by the localization section. | 11-17-2011 |
20110299674 | Method and Apparatus for Wideband Conferencing - A method and apparatus for wideband voice and optional data conferencing over a telecommunications network channel between at least two wideband communications devices. An exemplary method comprises establishing an audio link, verifying wideband capability between the at least two wideband communications devices, training modems of the at least two wideband communications device to line conditions, and adjusting the telecommunications connection line conditions between the communications devices. Once a wideband connection has been established, audio and data may be simultaneously exchanged. | 12-08-2011 |
20110305331 | CALL MANAGEMENT SERVICE - The invention pertains to a call management service for a communications system, configured to automatically: receive telephone call data identifying a destination end point and identifying a source end point; initiate a call-back telephone call to said source end point to set-up a first call leg responsive to receiving said telephone call data; initiate a telephone call to said destination end point to set-up a second call leg; combine said first and second call legs together thereby to provide voice communication between said source and destination end points; and transmit call leg status signals for said voice communication over a separate real-time communications connections signalling link to a communications client associated with at least one of said end points. | 12-15-2011 |
20110305332 | Multi-Conferencing Capability - A system and method for providing the capability to simultaneously manage multiple conference calls, move participants in the conference calls from one conference call to another and subdivide or join multiple conference calls together, and the like, wherein a participant seeking to initiate conference calls does so at his or her endpoint by selecting conference call identifiers, where the identifiers identify conference calls to be created. The initiating participant then selects the participants to be associated with the particular calls and confirms the selection. Upon confirmation of the selection, the conference calls among the selected participants are established. | 12-15-2011 |
20110317825 | Enhancement of Audio Conference Productivity Through Gain Biasing - Techniques are provided for communicating with a plurality of endpoints participating in a conference session. A signal representing audio from each of the endpoints is received at a control unit. The control unit adjusts one or more target power levels for purposes of automatic gain control of the audio from one or more of the endpoints based on information derived in real-time from the audio of the plurality of endpoints during the conference session and predetermined information pertaining to a source of the audio from at least one of the endpoints. | 12-29-2011 |
20120008757 | Multi-Participant Communication System With Audio Manager Responsive To Mode Change Requests - A communication system includes a local communication device that communicates with a remote communication device via a wired or wireless communication link between the devices. The local communication device and the remote communication device are each capable of switching between a multiple user mode and a single user private mode in response to a mode change request. The local and remote communication devices include respective profiles that include profile attributes that define how the respective communication device responds to a mode change request. A user of one communication device may send a mode change request to the other communication device. In response to the mode change request, the other communication device changes mode between multiple participant mode and single participant mode if the profile of that communication device permits the mode change. | 01-12-2012 |
20120020468 | CONFERENCE CALL MANAGEMENT METHOD AND SYSTEM - A conference call management method and system. The method includes receiving by a computer processor from a conference call administrator, a command for enabling a first conference call. The computer processor enables the first conference call thereby allowing telecommunications between the conference call administrator and a first participant. The computer processor locks the first conference call such that additional participants are unable to access the first conference call. The computer processor receives from a second participant, a conference call request for accessing a second conference call and routes the second participant to a virtual holding area. The computer processor enables the second conference call and routes the second participant from the virtual holding area to the second conference call. | 01-26-2012 |
20120033796 | Keyword Alerting in Conference Calls - A conferencing system is disclosed in which a participant to a conference call can program the embodiment to listen for one or more “keywords” in the conference call. The keywords might be a participant's name or words associated with him or her or words associated with his or her area of knowledge. The embodiments uses speech recognition technology to listen for those words. When the embodiments detects that those words have been spoken, the embodiment alerts the participant—using audible, visual, and/or tactile signals—that the participant's attention to the call is warranted. When the keywords are chosen wisely, the benefit can be great. | 02-09-2012 |
20120039457 | TELECONFERENCING CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD - Teleconferencing control system and method are provided for an administrator to log in a setting interface supplied in the system via any network terminal, so as to input relevant setting information comprising identification information of each teleconferencing location to be controlled, and control parameters of its teleconferencing equipment terminal, through the stored identification information of each teleconferencing location and control parameter information corresponding to the teleconferencing equipment terminal at each teleconferencing location and, to perform a control operation with respect to the teleconferencing equipment terminal of each corresponding teleconferencing location via a multi-point control unit, thereby providing centralized control for a group of teleconferencing so as to provide perfect teleconferencing service and thus increase work efficiency. | 02-16-2012 |
20120039458 | Voice audio processing method and device - The invention relates to a method for audio switching and conferencing. The method comprises: providing a plurality of audio channels comprising at least one active audio channel, the active audio channel comprising at least one of an input audio stream and output audio stream; converting the input audio streams from the at least one audio channel in input data; providing audio channel communication requests between parties of the at least one active audio channel; determining a set of Boolean values depending on the parties of the audio channels; determining output data for the respective active audio channels by combining the elements of the Boolean set and the input data; and encoding the output data in output audio streams for the respective active audio channels. In this way an efficient and consistent method for audio switching and conferencing is obtained which reduces complexity of software and/or hardware and enables the number of telephone calls or simultaneous conferences between multiple groups and simple implementation of special functions like eavesdropping and microphone functions. | 02-16-2012 |
20120069983 | SEAMLESSLY CONFERENCING A PREVIOUSLY-CONNECTED TELEPHONE CALL - An already-connected telephone call is conferenced in a seamless manner that is transparent to the call participants, after which one or more additional participants may join the conference. The existing call is preferably moved to a conference bridge responsive to an existing call participant either logging on to a network-accessible user interface (such as a web page or portal-type page) or entering some special key or key combination using the participant's phone (which may be a software application that provides phone-like services). The participant requesting the move may be authenticated, and the authorization of the participant to request the move may be verified, before moving the call. | 03-22-2012 |
20120076286 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR INITIATING A TELEPHONE CONFERENCE - One example discloses a system for initiating a telephone conference. The system can comprise a memory for storing computer executable instructions and a processing unit for accessing the memory and executing the computer executable instructions. The computer executable instructions can comprise a communication client configured to receive a communication from a network, the communication having a plurality of unique telephone numbers and at least one conference code. The computer executable instructions can also comprise a conference call interface that can be configured to receive a selected telephone number and a selected conference code and to store a memory record in the memory, the memory record having the selected telephone number and the selected conference code. The conference call interface can further be configured to output the selected conference code from the memory record in response to a call to the selected telephone number. | 03-29-2012 |
20120076287 | ECHO CONTROL OPTIMIZATION - In one implementation, a conference hosted on a conference bridge that includes an echo control device that classifies the echo return loss of a plurality of endpoints. The endpoints may include endpoints on internet protocol (IP) networks and public switched telephone networks (PSTN). The echo control of the endpoints is controlled independently. An echo classification module calculates the echo return loss value of the associated echo tail of the endpoint and chooses an appropriate echo control mode. If the echo return loss is above a high threshold, a pass through mode is activated. If the echo return loss is below a low threshold, a full echo cancellation mode is activated. If the echo return loss is between the low threshold and the high threshold, an echo suppression mode is activated. | 03-29-2012 |
20120076288 | Speakerphone and Conference Bridge Which Receive and Provide Participant Monitoring Information - 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. | 03-29-2012 |
20120082304 | Conference Bridge Audio Quality Diagnostic and Self Configuration System and Method - A conference diagnosis system can correlate information about a current teleconference with information about past conferences to make an intelligent assessment as to the potential cause of a poor audio or other condition. A conference bridge conducting the conference can then change various configuration settings on the conference bridge to resolve the problem. A running average of the results of past adjustments can be measured and direct future configuration changes. Thus, past successful adjustments can provide a starting point for changes to a new conference and real-time digital signal processing (DSP) adjustments can help tailor changes to the specific conference. | 04-05-2012 |
20120114111 | TELECONFERENCE DEVICE - A teleconference device includes a microphone, a support member, and a loudspeaker. The loudspeaker includes a hollow casing, a speaker arranged within the hollow casing and on a bottom thereof; and a hard plate arranged under the speaker and abutting against the support member. The hollow casing is heavier than the hard plate to cause the hard plate to stay in tight contact with the support member, to allow sound outputted by the loudspeaker through the support member. | 05-10-2012 |
20120121076 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING AUDIO SIGNALS IN MULTIPLE CONCURRENT CONFERENCE CALLS - A method and apparatus for controlling audio signals associated with a plurality of conferences. A user interface is displayed that depicts a first defined area and a second defined area. The first defined area is associated with a first conference and the second defined area is associated with a second conference. A first plurality of participant identifiers is displayed in association with the first defined area, and each of the plurality of participant identifiers corresponds to a different participant of a plurality of participants in the first conference. Aural position identifiers are determined for each participant associated with the first conference, and an aural position identifier is selected for the second conference. Audio signals are provided at aural positions identified by the aural position identifiers, enabling the user to correlate the voices of different participants with corresponding locations on the user interface, and to listen to multiple conferences simultaneously. | 05-17-2012 |
20120128146 | MANAGING SUBCONFERENCE CALLS WITHIN A PRIMARY CONFERENCE CALL - Managing subconference calls within a primary conference call. An approach includes establishing a primary conference call including a plurality of participants, establishing a subconference call including a subset of the plurality of participants, and providing respective output signals to each of the plurality of participants. Members of the primary conference call are provided with audio only of the primary conference call, and members of the subconference call are provided with audio of the subconference call. The approach also includes providing a visual display that shows respective groupings of members of the subconference call and members of the primary conference call. | 05-24-2012 |
20120134485 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING A CONFERENCE CALL - A system, method, and computer program product for initiating a conference call are disclosed. The method includes running a conference call managing application. The method also includes receiving at least one participant-defined condition. The participant-defined condition is associated with at least one conference call defining a status of a participant's communication device to connect the participant to the conference call. At least one alert is sent out to at least all required participants of the conference call, in response to the participant-defined condition being satisfied to start the conference call. | 05-31-2012 |
20120163576 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CHANGING CONFERENCE MODERATORS DURING A CONFERENCE CALL - Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for changing moderators during a e-conference. To change moderators during an e-conference, a system identifies a departure of the original moderator from the e-conference. A moderator can indicate his intention to leave an e-conference through the conferencing system. A participant to replace the original moderator is identified and subsequently promoted to replacement moderator while maintaining the e-conference. Additionally, changing moderators during an e-conference is accomplished by creating a new conference bridge and transferring each participant to the new conference bridge. This method allows for a seamless transfer between moderators during an e-conference without the inconvenience of reconnecting. | 06-28-2012 |
20120163577 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATIC CONFERENCE CALL SESSION MIGRATION - Disclosed herein are methods, systems, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for conference call session migration. The conference call session migration includes automatically configuring and establishing a target conference call session during a source conference call session; automatically converting session state and session history from a source format of the source conference call session to a target format of the target conference call session, and automatically connecting per-user clients to the target conference call session. For example, in response to a request from a session manger, the participants on the source conference call session are added to the target conference call session in order to add new media or other conferencing capabilities subject to network and server capabilities, user devices, user conferencing software, user location, user preferences, and policies. | 06-28-2012 |
20120170734 | NOTIFICATION TO ABSENT TELECONFERENCE INVITEES - A method includes receiving an indication of an elapsed time since a scheduled teleconference meeting start and a further indication of current attendance at the teleconference;
| 07-05-2012 |
20120177192 | Teleconferencing system for allowing the breaking out of groups of callers into sub-teleconferences and the reporting of callers speaking in the sub-teleconferences - A facilitator-led teleconferencing system that establishes teleconferences for a plurality of callers and at least one facilitator. The teleconferencing system operates under the control of application software and through a computer system that establishes a user interface. The teleconferencing system enables the facilitator to dynamically divide a large teleconference into a plurality of sub-conferences, preferably in a way that enables callers in one sub-conference to interact with others in that sub-conference. The teleconferencing system further enables the facilitator to monitor in real-time who is in each sub-conference and to determine in real-time who was currently speaking in each sub-conference. | 07-12-2012 |
20120189112 | DELEGATE UNIT FOR A CONFERENCE SYSTEM, CONFERENCE SYSTEM, METHOD FOR OPERATING THE DELEGATE UNIT AND COMPUTER PROGRAM - Conference Systems usually comprise a plurality of delegate units, whereby each delegate unit provides a speaking place for a person attending the Conference. A delegate unit ( | 07-26-2012 |
20120189113 | PERSONALIZED CONFERENCE BRIDGE - The present invention allows a user to customize her personal conference bridge such that conference participants who connect to the bridge are provided conference information selected by the user. In particular, after each conference participant gains access to the personal conference bridge, the conference information is delivered to a terminal of the conference participant. Although the user associated with the personal conference bridge may be a conference participant, delivery of conference information to the user is optional. The conference information may be any type of media content, or information identifying the location of media content to present to the conference participants. | 07-26-2012 |
20120195418 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LISTENING FOR INCOMING CALLS ON MULTIPLE PORT/SOCKET COMBINATIONS - In a computer system having a memory, a processor, and a network interface, a method for listening on multiple conferencing interfaces having the steps of loading a set of transport components into the memory; initializing each transport components of the set of transport components to listen on a particular conferencing interface using the network interface, each transport component of the set of transport components listening to a different conferencing interface; receiving an incoming call signal on the network interface having an incoming conferencing interface; processing the incoming call signal to detect the incoming conferencing interface; and launching an application based on the incoming conferencing interface. Other embodiments are also described. | 08-02-2012 |
20120201366 | CONFERENCE CALL MANAGEMENT - A conference call management method and system. The method includes receiving by a computer processor from a conference call administrator, a command for enabling a first conference call. The computer processor enables the first conference call thereby allowing telecommunications between the conference call administrator and a first participant. The computer processor locks the first conference call such that additional participants are unable to access the first conference call. The computer processor receives from a second participant, a conference call request for accessing a second conference call and routes the second participant to a virtual holding area. The computer processor enables the second conference call and routes the second participant from the virtual holding area to the second conference call. | 08-09-2012 |
20120207295 | CONFERENCE CALL SYSTEM, METHOD, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT - A conference call system comprises an input interface for receiving during a conference call at least two input streams of audio signal, each from another source. A selection unit is connected to the input interface, for selecting a number of dominant speaker streams out of the input streams, the number being less than or equal to a maximum number of dominant speakers value and each of the dominant speaker streams representing speech from a respective dominant speaker. A mixer is connected to the selection unit, for mixing the selected streams into an output stream. The conference call system comprises an output interface for outputting the output stream and a selection control unit connected to the selection unit and the input interface, for dynamically setting, during the conference call, the maximum number of dominant speakers value based on dynamics of the conference call. | 08-16-2012 |
20120219137 | Systems and Methods for Facilitating Teleconferencing without Pre-Reservation of Conference Resources - A teleconferencing system has a teleconference bridge provided by software executing on one or more computerized servers in a network, the bridge having an access telephone number or address, and a plurality of signal processing banks coupled to the teleconference bridge. The bridge answers incoming calls with an automated message asking for a conference code, assigns a specific bank of processors having a specific maximum call capacity for a teleconference associated with a first incoming call asserting a specific conference code, connects a second incoming call asserting the same conference code in live conference with the first incoming call asserting the same code, connects further incoming calls asserting the same conference code in conference with the first two, tracks the number of calls in a conference as further calls are connected, and connects further banks of processors one-at-a-time as maximum call capacity in already-connected banks is reached. | 08-30-2012 |
20120219138 | IMPLEMENTING A CONTACT CENTER USING OPEN STANDARDS AND NON-PROPRIETARY COMPONENTS - The present invention discloses an open contact center formed from multiple contact center components that conform to open standards and that intercommunicate utilizing open standards. The open contact center can provide automated interactive communications with callers, can provide queue management for callers waiting to communicate with live agents, can provide skills based routing for assigning live agents to callers based upon skills of the live agents and skills needed by the callers, and can provide tooling for provisioning and monitoring the live agents. In one configuration, the contact center components can execute within a middleware solution, such as WEBSPHERE, that has IP Multimedia Subsystem capability. Additionally, the contact center components can be implemented as service oriented architecture (SOA) components that communicate over an enterprise service bus (ESB). | 08-30-2012 |
20120219139 | Providing Audio Playback During a Conference Based on Conference System Source - In various embodiments, a system may include a first conferencing system with a first speaker and a second speaker. The first conferencing system may be coupled to a second conferencing system and a third conferencing system. In some embodiments, audio from the second conferencing system may be reproduced through the first speaker, and audio from the third conferencing system may be reproduced through the second speaker. In some embodiments, audio from various participants at various conferencing systems may be reproduced on audio system components relative to the location of participants at the conferencing system. For example, audio from a first participant on the left side of a camera at a second conferencing system may be reproduced through left side speakers at the first conferencing system. | 08-30-2012 |
20120219140 | CONFERENCE PROGRESS SUPPORTING APPARATUS - A disclosed conference progress supporting apparatus includes a unit to store information indicating each agenda of the conference and information indicating each participant of the conference, a unit to acquire information via an input device, the information indicating a start and an end of a speech of the participant of the agenda, a unit to store progress information in the conference information storage unit, the progress information associating the agenda, the participants, a start time when the information indicating the start is acquired, and an elapsed time since the start time with each other in response to the acquisition of the information indicating the start, and update the progress information by measuring the elapsed time until the information indicating the end is acquired, and a unit to present information indicating a speech status of each of the participants of each of the agendas based on the progress information. | 08-30-2012 |
20120230484 | Audo-Dial Connection Into Conference Calls with Attendee Status Broadcast - Methods and systems for dialing into conference calls are presented. A meeting reminder is displayed and a conference call confirmation instruction, delay instruction, or cancellation instruction is received from a meeting attendee. Responsive to receiving a delay instruction, a delayed call-in time is established and a status message is sent to all meeting attendees. The conference call dial-in number is automatically dialed at the proposed or delayed time. | 09-13-2012 |
20120230485 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CONFERENCE CALL SCHEDULING VIA E-MAIL - A method and system for conference call scheduling using e-mail. The method and system can receive and parse an e-mail received from a conference moderator, containing scheduling and participant information and schedule a conference call with minimal further user intervention. In essence, the method and system can operate as a virtual administrative assistant to identify and collect telephone contact information for each of the proposed conference call participants, using a customizable hierarchy of internal and external sources of contact information. In this manner, the conference moderator does not need know telephone contact information for each conference call participant. | 09-13-2012 |
20120243673 | AUTOMATIC REJOINING OF CONFERENCES - Users are enabled to re-join a conference after an intentional or unintentional disconnect based on detecting the user's identifier. An identifier associated with a user such as a caller id number is determined or a cookie installed in the user's computing device facilitating communications when the user first joins a conference. If the user's connection to the conference is severed intentionally or unintentionally, and the user attempts to connect again, the system may prompt the user whether they want to join the same conference or another conference. If the user confirms their desire to join the same conference, the system may connect them without the user having to enter conference identifier, password, or similar information. | 09-27-2012 |
20120250846 | HIERARCHAL CONTROL OF TELECONFERENCES - A teleconference between at least two participants is evaluated by monitoring the teleconference and detecting a triggering event if more than one participant desires to speak at the same time. Upon detecting a triggering event, e.g., detecting an attempt of one or more participants to interrupt another participant, or detecting a request initiated by one or more participants to interrupt another participant, a dominant source is selected from among the ones of the participants attempting/requesting to speak based at least in part upon a determined hierarchal order of those participants attempting/requesting to speak. A participant is then selected from the participants to have the role of the dominant participant based upon the selected dominant source and only the speech of the dominant participant is conveyed to each participant through the teleconference system. | 10-04-2012 |
20120263286 | METHOD, DEVICE AND SYSTEM FOR CALL ESTABLISHMENT - The present invention, relating to the field of communications, discloses a method, device and system for call establishment, wherein the method includes: obtaining the pre-configured binding relationship between conference rooms and terminals; setting the correspondences between terminals of a calling conference room and terminals of a called conference room according to said binding relationship; and establishing media communication with the terminals provided with the correspondences. Embodiments of the present invention also provide a call establishment device and a call establishment system. Embodiments of the present invention overcome various limits and defects due to the fact that calls between other corresponding terminals can only be established via a particular terminal in each conference room in the prior art, and enable a code stream to be transmitted in the shortest path, thereby greatly reducing the path delay and improving the video conference system scalability. | 10-18-2012 |
20120263287 | System and Method for Reconnecting a Device to a Group Call - A system and method for reestablishing a voice communications session moderated by a group call server between two or more telephony devices. The method is performed by a processor monitoring the communications session. The method comprises: storing one or more data records representing group call information; detecting disconnection of at least one participating telephony device from the group communications session, and determining that the disconnection was not intentionally initiated; accessing the stored call group information data and causing signals to enable reestablishment of participation by the disconnected device to be sent to the disconnected device; and upon receipt by the group call server from the disconnected device of signals representing a request to reconnect the disconnected device, outputting command signals for reestablishing a communications session between the disconnected device and at feast one other device participating in the group communications session. | 10-18-2012 |
20120269333 | Method and Apparatus for Identifying a Conference Call from an Event Record - A method for identifying a conference call from a communication device, wherein the communication device includes a memory for storing a calendar event record. The method includes: parsing at least some of the calendar event record, wherein the parsing includes an automatic discovery feature; determining, based on the parsing, whether the calendar event record includes conference call scheduling information in relation to a scheduled conference call session; generating, based on the parsing, one or more identifiers for at least some of the conference call scheduling information; and storing in the memory the one or more identifiers. A host communication device and a non-host participant communication device can also be configured for performing the method. | 10-25-2012 |
20120269334 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR JOIN SELECTION OF A CONFERENCE CALL - A method for join selection of a conference call from a communication device, wherein the communication device includes a memory for storing an event record. The method includes: identifying from the event record one or more addresses for contacting a conference call server for establishing a scheduled conference call session; automatically selecting, based on specified criteria, one of the addresses as a default address associated with a default join option for establishing the scheduled conference call session; generating an identifier for associating the selected default address with the default join option; and storing the identifier in the memory. | 10-25-2012 |
20120269335 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROTECTING MODERATOR ACCESS FOR A CONFERENCE CALL - A method for protecting moderator access using a communication device. The method includes: displaying an interface for editing a conference call profile, the conference call profile including conference call scheduling information including one or more addressees for communicating with a conference call server, wherein the conference call scheduling information further includes a moderator access code and a participant access code; generating an indicator for the conference call profile for excluding sending of the moderator access code to invited participants; and storing the conference call profile including the indicator in a memory of the communication device. A communication device can be configured to perform the method. | 10-25-2012 |
20120281823 | METHOD FOR TRANSFERRING PARTICIPATION AUTHORIZATION FOR A SCHEDULED CONFERENCE CALL - A method for transferring participation authorization for a scheduled conference call. A conference call server includes a memory for storing conference call scheduling information with respect to a scheduled conference call session, the conference call scheduling information including participant authorizations for eligible communication devices of the scheduled conference call session. The method includes: receiving, in a first communication device, an invitation message containing at least some of the conference call scheduling information with respect to the scheduled conference call session, displaying an interface in relation to the scheduled conference call session, the interface including an option to transfer participant authorization for the scheduled conference call session to a second communication device, and sending a communication to the conference call server for adding participant authorization of the second communication device and removing participant authorization of the first communication device. | 11-08-2012 |
20120288079 | WIRELESS CONFERENCE CALL TELEPHONE - A wireless conference call telephone system uses body-worn wired or wireless audio endpoints comprising microphone arrays and, optionally, speakers. These audio-endpoints, which include headsets, pendants, and clip-on microphones to name a few, are used to capture the user's voice and the resulting data may be used to remove echo and environmental acoustic noise. Each audio-endpoint transmits its audio to the telephony gateway, where noise and echo suppression can take place if not already performed on the audio-endpoint, and where each audio-endpoint's output can be labeled, integrated with the output of other audio-endpoints, and transmitted over one or more telephony channels of a telephone network. The noise and echo suppression can also be done on the audio-endpoint. The labeling of each user's output can be used by the outside caller's phone to spatially locate each user in space, increasing intelligibility. | 11-15-2012 |
20120294436 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SWITCHING CALL MODE - A method for switching a call mode and a method thereof are provided. The method for switching during a call mode in a terminal includes: providing a conference call; providing a switch interface for switching a private call connection including a call counterpart list corresponding to counterparts of a conference call when a direction of the terminal changes to a landscape direction during the conference call; and providing a private call with a call counterpart corresponding to a selected item when one item is selected from the call counterpart list. | 11-22-2012 |
20130010945 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR FACILITATING TRANSFERRING OF CONFERENCE CALLS USING MOBILE COMMUNICATION DEVICES - Systems and methods for facilitating transferring of a conference call. In some embodiments, users of a secure mobile device may be provided with the ability to transfer a media session for use in a conference call to a non-secure communication device. The method may include displaying a user interface on the primary communication device, the user interface including a transfer option, receiving a command selecting the transfer option, sending a transfer request from the primary communication device to the conference call controller to link an alternate communication device within the conference call session, and determining whether the transfer request requires authentication, and if so performing authentication of the transfer request. | 01-10-2013 |
20130016820 | ECHO CANCELLATION APPARATUS, CONFERENCING SYSTEM USING THE SAME, AND ECHO CANCELLATION METHODAANM TAKAYAMA; ShinichiAACI FukuokaAACO JPAAGP TAKAYAMA; Shinichi Fukuoka JPAANM Nishikawa; TsuyokiAACI OsakaAACO JPAAGP Nishikawa; Tsuyoki Osaka JP - An echo cancellation apparatus is connectable to a speaker configured to output speaker signals and a microphone configured to receive a sound from the speaker and including a plurality of microphone elements. The echo cancellation apparatus includes: a generating unit configured to generate a plurality of sensitivity signals having different sensitivity patterns which represent directionality of the microphone, based on a plurality of microphone signals obtained from the respective microphone signals; a delay estimating unit configured to determine a shortest delay time as an estimated delay time, the shortest delay time being a shortest one of delay times between the speaker signals and the microphone signals, the delay times being obtained from the respective sensitivity signals; and an echo suppressing unit configured to suppress echoes of the plurality of microphone signals using the estimated delay time. | 01-17-2013 |
20130022189 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR RECEIVING AND PROCESSING AUDIO SIGNALS CAPTURED USING MULTIPLE DEVICES - Systems, methods, and apparatus for using different interfaces to receive from different devices representations of at least one audio signal. In some embodiments, each representation may be generated using at least one microphone of the respective device during a meeting attended by a plurality of participants. In some further embodiments, a first representation may be received from a first device via a telephone network, while a second representation may be received from a second device via a data network. In yet some further embodiments, the first and second representations may be processed to obtain a processed representation of the at least one audio signal. | 01-24-2013 |
20130022190 | Systems and Methods for Facilitating Conference Calls Using Security Keys - Systems and methods are described that facilitate a conference call between a plurality of communication devices. The method can comprise: providing a first control link between a first primary communication device and a conference call controller; providing a second control link between a second primary communication device and the conference call controller; and establishing a media link between the first primary communication device and the second primary communication device via the conference call controller. In certain embodiments, the first control link can facilitate the exchange of a first identification data comprising at least one first security key, which can be configured to contain participation level data indicating at least one participation level of the first primary communication device or the second primary communication device. | 01-24-2013 |
20130028404 | AUDIO CONFERENCE PLATFORM WITH DYNAMIC SPEECH DETECTION THRESHOLD - The present invention comprises a method for audio/video conferencing. In a preferred embodiment, the method comprises using a dynamic threshold value to determine whether there is speech on a line. One aspect, the method comprises determining a dynamic threshold value based on one or more characteristics of signals received on a port, associating that dynamic threshold value with the port; and comparing one or more characteristics of signals subsequently received on the port to the dynamic threshold value. Signals received over a plurality of ports are summed, but for ports whose signal characteristics have a specified relationship to the dynamic threshold value associated with that port, signals are not contained in the sum. | 01-31-2013 |
20130044871 | AUDIO QUALITY IN TELECONFERENCING - A method and system for improved audio quality in teleconferencing are provided. The method includes analyzing the audio signal of multiple input lines in a teleconferencing system to detect if any two input lines contain substantially the same audio signal with a delay shorter than that of a conventional echo caused by an input line's own audio feedback via a teleconferencing server. The method further includes selecting the input line with the higher amplitude audio signal or the earlier received audio signal when two input lines with substantially the same audio signal are detected. | 02-21-2013 |
20130058471 | CONFERENCED VOICE TO TEXT TRANSCRIPTION - Presented are systems and methods for creating a transcription of a conference call. The system joins an audio conference call with a device associated with a participant, of a plurality of participants joined to the conference through one or more associated devices. The system them creates a speech audio file corresponding to a portion of the participant's speech during the conference and converting contemporaneously, at the device, the speech audio file to a local partial transcript. The system then acquires a plurality of partial transcripts from at least one of the associated devices, so that the device can provide a complete transcript. | 03-07-2013 |
20130058472 | Digital Network-Based Telephone Systems and Functionality - A conferencing bridge includes a computerized appliance, a non-transitory physical memory medium coupled to the computerized appliance, software executing on the computerized appliance from the non-transitory physical medium, and telephone numbers for a plurality of persons associated with identification for the persons. A user configures a conference by entering and storing a time and date for the conference and identification of one or more desired participants, and at the time and date configured the conference bridge dials out to the one or more participants, and the participants who answer are joined in the conference. | 03-07-2013 |
20130058473 | Digital Network-Based Telephone Systems and Functionality - A conferencing system includes one or more computerized servers connected to a network, software executing on the one or more servers providing an interface allowing a caller to invoke specific functions by spoken or keyed input, including at least enabling a caller using a telephony device to initiate and configure a new conference by input of a pre-assigned code. Configuration allows the initiator to select participants from personal profile information stored in a data repository accessible to the server, and wherein resources for the conference are allocated at the time of configuration, and are not available to other purpose until released by the initiator. | 03-07-2013 |
20130083911 | METHODS AND APPARATUSES FOR MULTI-CHANNEL ACOUSTIC ECHO CANCELATION - Embodiments include methods and apparatuses for echo cancelation involving multiple audio channels and the production, sensing, or a combination thereof of multiple audio channels in conferencing systems. A conferencing apparatus with a plurality of speakers configured to generate outgoing acoustic waves responsive to a multi-channel audio signal. One or more microphones are configured to sense incoming acoustic waves from the plurality of speakers and from locally produced acoustic waves from a participant of a conference to generate one or more incoming audio signals. A processor is operably coupled to the plurality of speakers and the one or more microphones. The processor is configured to perform acoustic echo cancelation on the one or more incoming audio signals relative to at least two different channels of the multi-channel audio signal. | 04-04-2013 |
20130089194 | MULTI-CHANNEL TELEPHONY - Techniques for providing multi-channel telephony are described herein. In different aspects, a multi-channel telephony apparatus may include a sound interface configured to process a multi-channel sound signal including at least one of causing speakers to emit multi-channel sound or receiving multi-channel sound from microphones and a network interface configured to transmit the multi-channel sound signal from the sound interface to one or more communication lines of a telephone network. In some aspects, a dialer may be configured with the network interface to establish a connection with the telephone network. | 04-11-2013 |
20130101106 | Processing Data - A method of processing data in relation to a teleconference service in a telecommunications network is provided. The teleconference service is able to handle a multi-party teleconference for three or more teleconference participants. First, second and third teleconference participation identifiers are received from first, second and third teleconference participants respectively. The first, second and third teleconference participation identifiers are correlated to determine that the first, second and third teleconference participants are participants in a given multi-party teleconference. Data is transmitted for enabling the establishment of a data communications session which is established separately from the teleconference. The data communications session is for the communication of data between a first data communication device associated with the first teleconference participant, a second data communication device associated with the second teleconference participant and a third data communication device associated with the third teleconference participant. | 04-25-2013 |
20130108033 | AUTO PROMOTION AND DEMOTION OF CONFERENCE CALLS | 05-02-2013 |
20130108034 | Moderation Control Method for Participants in a Heterogeneous Conference Call | 05-02-2013 |
20130156175 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ENABLING VOICE DISCUSSIONS AMONG INDEPENDENT AND SIMULTANEOUS USERS OF DATA CONTENT - Some embodiments are directed to methods and apparatuses for enabling voice discussions about a same data content being independently and simultaneously accessed on at least two devices. A server detects when a first device of the at least two devices accesses the data content. The server identifies and reserves an available voice communication group resource. Responsive to detecting that the at least two devices are independently and simultaneously accessing the data content, the server identifies and reserves an available voice communication group resource, and sends a voice group identifier for a reserved voice communication group resource to the at least two devices to allow access to the reserved voice communication group resource. | 06-20-2013 |
20130163739 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR TRANSFERRING CONTROL OF A CONFERENCE BRIDGE - A conference calling system enables transfer of control of a conference bridge. The transferor terminal has an option to transfer control of the conference bridge to a transferee terminal. The transferee terminal has an option to accept or reject control of the conference bridge. When the transferee terminal accepts control prior to the transferor terminal severing control, the control of the conference bridge is transferred to the transferee terminal. However, when the transferee terminal rejects or does not accept within a predetermined time the control of the conference bridge, the transferor terminal is provided an option to transfer control of the conference bridge to alternate terminals, one terminal at a time, until an alternate terminal accepts control or the transferor terminal severs control of the conference bridge. As long as a terminal has control of the conference bridge, the conference bridge is not severed. | 06-27-2013 |
20130208877 | COMMUNICATION DEVICE FOR PROVIDING AN AUTOMATICALLY INITIATED OUTGOING COMMUNICATION AS AN INCOMING COMMUNICATION - A communication device and method for providing an automatically initiated outgoing communication as an incoming communication are provided. Outgoing communication is automatically initiated via a communication interface of the communication device. After the outgoing communication is initiated, an indication of the outgoing communication is provided at the communication device, such that the outgoing communication is provided as an incoming communication at the communication device. | 08-15-2013 |
20130208878 | Attaching Multiple Phone Lines to a Single Mobile or Landline Phone - Agencies issue multiple devices to personnel for maintaining distinct identities over the course of assigned investigations. To provide flexible capabilities to agencies, a phone is converted for use with multiple attached telephone numbers. Accordingly, a single phone may be used to manage multiple identities over the course of one or more investigations. Using a multiple attached number, a given device can place and receive calls over the network to and from contacts. In addition to providing multiple attached numbers, calls using the multiple attached numbers may be monitored live and recorded to establish evidence. | 08-15-2013 |
20130235993 | INTEGRATING CALENDARING WITH AD HOC CALL INITIATION - In one example, a processing device is configured to transmit a request for an ad hoc call between a caller endpoint and a called endpoint. The processing device is configured to, in response to receiving a busy signal or other offline indication, cause a calendaring application accessible to the caller endpoint to launch. | 09-12-2013 |
20130235994 | Automatic Mute Detection - A system and methodology for managing a mute function muting a connection to a conference call is disclosed. The system is implemented when the mute function is activated on a line connected to a conference call through a telecommunications network. The method includes receiving a sound, determining whether the sound meets predetermined criteria and if the sound meets predetermined criteria then performing a mute status operation. | 09-12-2013 |
20130251132 | BEAMING TO THE NEXT CONFERENCE OR BETWEEN CONCURRENT CONFERENCES - A conferencing system and method are described which enable conference participants to beam between back-to-back or concurrent conferences. Specifically, a conference participant is allowed to beam between two or more conferences by providing in-band signaling during a conference. The in-band signaling may include one or more commands to beam the conference participant between the two or more conferences without requiring the conference participant to hang up and redial the conference number. | 09-26-2013 |
20130259217 | Systems And Methods For Managing The Status Of Participants Of A Tele-Networking Meeting - Systems and methods for managing the status of participants of a tele-networking meeting are disclosed. During a tele-networking meeting, a network device may monitor the talk time of each participant of the meeting. If a participant's talk time exceeds the target talk time, the network device may prompt the chair, and the chair may take action. Action may include managing a participant's status by muting, disconnecting, or spinning the participant off into a subconference. Additionally, during a tele-networking meeting, a chair may also create a subconference on network device. Thus, the chair may be able to spin off participants of a tele-networking meeting into a subconference controlled by a subchair. | 10-03-2013 |
20130266131 | VOICE CONFERENCE REDUNDANCY - A voice conferencing system provides redundant audio signal mixer modules to prevent loss of audio signals during a teleconference. The audio signal mixer modules may process audio signal data concurrently. In some embodiments, one of the audio signal mixer modules may playback streaming audio data while other audio signal mixer modules are muted. Upon malfunction of the audio signal mixer module designated for playback, another audio signal mixer module may be unmuted so that transmission of audio data during the teleconference occurs seamlessly. | 10-10-2013 |
20130279677 | LOCATION BASED QUALITY OF SESSION CONTROL IN UNIFIED TELEPHONY - Implementing a location and historical trend based quality of session in unified telephony can begin with establishing a conference call. The location of each end-user device can be determined and a query of a previously established data store with historical trend data for quality of session for each end-user device based on the location of an identifier for the end user device can be performed. If the results of the querying indicate that an end-user device has a relatively low quality of session below a baseline established for the conference call, a corrective action designed to ensure the conference call is conducted with a quality of session at or above the baseline can be performed. Alternatively, the location and historical trend data and analysis for the collaboration session can be presented to a human moderator, who can be prompted to select a desired corrective action. | 10-24-2013 |
20130279678 | LOCATION BASED QUALITY OF SESSION CONTROL IN UNIFIED TELEPHONY - Implementing a location and historical trend based quality of session in unified telephony can begin with establishing a conference call. The location of each end-user device can be determined and a query of a previously established data store with historical trend data for quality of session for each end-user device based on the location of an identifier for the end user device can be performed. If the results of the querying indicate that an end-user device has a relatively low quality of session below a baseline established for the conference call, a corrective action designed to ensure the conference call is conducted with a quality of session at or above the baseline can be performed. Alternatively, the location and historical trend data and analysis for the collaboration session can be presented to a human moderator, who can be prompted to select a desired corrective action. | 10-24-2013 |
20130279679 | Methods to Improve Fraud Detection on Conference Calling Systems Based on Observation of Participants' Call Time Durations - An embodiment of the invention includes a method for detecting fraudulent use in a conference calling system. One or more time duration thresholds are received for a conference call. The conference call is monitored to determine an attendee duration, a participants duration, and/or a conference call duration. The attendee duration represents the call duration of an attendee of the conference call; the participants duration represents the total call duration of all of the attendees combined; and, the conference call duration represents the call duration of the conference call. The time duration thresholds are compared to the attendee duration, participants duration, and/or conference call duration. Actions are performed by a processor if the attendee duration, participants duration, and/or conference call duration exceeds the time duration thresholds. | 10-24-2013 |
20130287197 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CONFERENCE CALL SCHEDULING VIA E-MAIL - A method and system for conference call scheduling using e-mail. The method and system can receive and parse an e-mail received from a conference moderator, containing scheduling and participant information and schedule a conference call with minimal further user intervention. In essence, the method and system can operate as a virtual administrative assistant to identify and collect telephone contact information for each of the proposed conference call participants, using a customizable hierarchy of internal and external sources of contact information. In this manner, the conference moderator does not need know telephone contact information for each conference call participant. | 10-31-2013 |
20130294594 | AUTOMATING THE IDENTIFICATION OF MEETING ATTENDEES - In an example embodiment, there is disclosed herein an apparatus for automatically identifying attendees in a conference call. A social graph associated with a first meeting attendee is searched to identify a second, unknown attendee. For example, the apparatus may search the social graph for a matching voice print, and/or matching facial recognition characteristics in order to identify the unknown attendee. | 11-07-2013 |
20130294595 | Multi-modal communications with conferencing and clients - A system and method for merging multi-modal communications are disclosed. The multi-modal communications can be synchronous, asynchronous and semi-synchronous. By way of a non-limiting example, at least two devices operating with varied modalities can be connected to a conferencing appliance. The conferencing appliance can integrate the differing modalities from the at least two devices by executing at least one of turn taking, conference identification, participant identification, ordering of interjections, modulation of meaning, expectation of shared awareness, floor domination and combination thereof. | 11-07-2013 |
20130322613 | AUTOMATED VOICE CONNECTION TO A BEST-DETERMINED TARGET - An apparatus and method for initiating a voice communication to a best-determined target includes associating a plurality of workers in a worker list with a skills profile for each worker. Upon receiving an assistance request for a task, the worker list can be searched automatically for target contacts having the skill profile best-matching the assistance request. Further search criteria can be compared between the task and the matched target contacts to facilitate the proper selection of the best-matched target contacts. Upon a match, a voice communication is automatically initiating between the requestor to the best-determined target contact. | 12-05-2013 |
20130329877 | METHOD, NETWORK EXCHANGE DEVICE, AND USER TERMINAL FOR PROVIDING CALL SERVICE - A method, a network exchange device, and a user terminal for providing a call service are provided by the present disclosure, relating to the field of communication technologies, and invented to increase the communication efficiency of users. The method for providing a call service includes: receiving a call request message from a calling user, where the call request message carries a service operation code and at least two called numbers; determining a connection manner of the call according to the service operation code carried in the call request message; and connecting, according to the determined connection manner, to called users corresponding to the called numbers carried in the call request message. The present disclosure can be applied in the fields of telecommunication and communication. | 12-12-2013 |
20130336469 | System and Method for Three-Way Call Detection - A system for detecting three-way calls in a monitored telephone conversation includes as speech recognition processor that transcribes the monitored telephone conversation and associates Characteristics of the monitored telephone conversation with a transcript thereof, a database to store the transcript and the characteristics associated therewith, and a three-way Call detection processor to analyze the characteristics of the conversation and to detect therefrom the addition of one or more parties to the conversation. The system preferably includes at least one domain-specific language model that the speech recognition processor utilizes to transcribe the conversation. The system may operate in real-time or on previously recorded conversations. A query and retrieval system may be used to retrieve and review call records from the database. | 12-19-2013 |
20140023184 | Conference Presence Based Music-On-Hold Suppression System And Method - A private branch exchange (PBX) (or network hosted device) is described herein that is capable of obtaining information (e.g., in-a-conference presence state) that indicates a user is participating in a multi-party conference call which is being hosted by an external conference/collaboration bridge and is further capable of disabling a music-on-hold feature on an extension associated with a device belonging to the user such that if the user places the device on-hold then no sound (e.g., music, radio) will be injected into the multi-party conference call. | 01-23-2014 |
20140037080 | THRESHOLD ACTIVATED TELECONFERENCING - Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for threshold activation of an audio teleconference. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for threshold activation of an audio teleconference is provided. The method includes receiving calls into a conference bridge for an audio conference and determining whether or not a threshold number of calls from corresponding callers have been received for the audio conference. The method also includes initiating the audio conference responsive to a threshold number of callers having called into the audio conference, but prohibiting initiation of the audio conference until the threshold number of callers have called into the audio conference. | 02-06-2014 |
20140037081 | AUDIO CONFERENCE DEVICE - An audio conference device receives and emits sounds to perform transmission/reception of audio signals via communications. The device has a speaker array with a plurality of speakers arranged on the lower surface of an elongated main housing, and a microphone array with a plurality of microphones arranged on the side surface of the main housing along the longitudinal direction. Legs are attached to the main body to support the main housing at a prescribed height above the resting surface and to secure good sound emission characteristics of the speaker array. The device further controls directivity of the microphones. | 02-06-2014 |
20140064471 | ENHANCING CONFERENCING USER EXPERIENCE VIA COMPONENTS - An enhanced user experience during a telecommunications conference may be achieved by using components of devices associated with users as ephemeral adjuncts to a conferencing system. These components may be associated with equipment in a conference room or location such that other participants in the conference may not recognize the use of the device. The quality of a user's experience may thus be improved by using a device and associated components in close proximity to the user. Other participants in a conference may also perceive a benefit from improved intelligibility. | 03-06-2014 |
20140072112 | METHOD, SYSTEM, AND PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR CONTACTING CONFERENCE CALL PARTICIPANTS - The present invention provides a method, system, and program product for managing conference calls. Specifically, prospective conference call participants (e.g., moderators and/or invitees) will initially provide user profiles. A participant's profile will include, among other things, a set of contact numbers at which the participant can be reached. Thereafter, a moderator and a set of invitees of a conference call to be held are identified. This is typically done based on synchronization with a calendar application used to send and accept an invitation to the conference call. When the moderator later initiates the conference call, the present invention will access the profile of each invitee that accepted the invitation, and then call the invitees at the respective contact numbers set forth therein. When contact is made with an invitee, the call will be merged into the conference call with the moderator. | 03-13-2014 |
20140072113 | METHOD, SYSTEM, AND PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR CONTACTING CONFERENCE CALL PARTICIPANTS - The present invention provides a method, system, and program product for managing conference calls. Specifically, prospective conference call participants (e.g., moderators and/or invitees) will initially provide user profiles. A participant's profile will include, among other things, a set of contact numbers at which the participant can be reached. Thereafter, a moderator and a set of invitees of a conference call to be held are identified. This is typically done based on synchronization with a calendar application used to send and accept an invitation to the conference call. When the moderator later initiates the conference call, the present invention will access the profile of each invitee that accepted the invitation, and then call the invitees at the respective contact numbers set forth therein. When contact is made with an invitee, the call will be merged into the conference call with the moderator. | 03-13-2014 |
20140072114 | METHOD, SYSTEM, AND PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR CONTACTING CONFERENCE CALL PARTICIPANTS - The present invention provides a method, system, and program product for managing conference calls. Specifically, prospective conference call participants (e.g., moderators and/or invitees) will initially provide user profiles. A participant's profile will include, among other things, a set of contact numbers at which the participant can be reached. Thereafter, a moderator and a set of invitees of a conference call to be held are identified. This is typically done based on synchronization with a calendar application used to send and accept an invitation to the conference call. When the moderator later initiates the conference call, the present invention will access the profile of each invitee that accepted the invitation, and then call the invitees at the respective contact numbers set forth therein. When contact is made with an invitee, the call will be merged into the conference call with the moderator. | 03-13-2014 |
20140093059 | ELIMINATION OF TYPING NOISE FROM CONFERENCE CALLS - A method for eliminating typing noise from a conference call in which a plurality of participants communicate via a plurality of client devices connected to a conference server via a corresponding plurality of channels, includes determining a probability value for each channel of the plurality of channels representing a likelihood of a typing noise being present on the corresponding channel. A channel of the plurality of channels having a highest determined probability value is temporarily muted. It is testing whether the temporary muting has successfully remove the typing noise from the conference call. A warning is generated for a client device of the plurality of client devices that corresponds to the channel having a highest determined probability value when it is determined that the temporary muting has successfully removed the typing noise from the conference call. | 04-03-2014 |
20140098947 | AD HOC MEETING INITIATION - Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for ad hoc meeting initiation. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for ad hoc initiation of an e-meeting has been provided. The method includes establishing a proposed duration of a meeting and a list of proposed participants to the meeting. The method also includes determining presence awareness for each of the proposed participants. The method yet further includes querying calendar data in a calendar data store for each of the proposed participants to determine whether or not each of the proposed participants is available to immediately attend the meeting for the proposed duration. Finally the method includes directing initiation of the meeting only if a threshold number of the proposed participants are determined to be both present and available for the proposed duration to participate in the meeting. | 04-10-2014 |
20140105377 | RFID FOR AVAILABLE RESOURCES NOT CONNECTED TO THE NETWORK - Disclosed are apparatus and techniques for providing presence and location information from available media resources to participants in a media conference so that the participants can use then use such available resources in the conferencing interaction. When participating in such rich media conferences with presence and location capabilities, apparatus and techniques are provided for determining the device(s) being used and their capabilities and determining available resources presently connected to a network that is available to the participants and presenting such presence information to the conference participants. Additionally, apparatus and techniques are provided for obtaining presence and location knowledge of potential resources that are accessible but not connected to the network or shutdown and presenting such information to the participants. Thus, the participants can obtain presence and location information regarding accessible resources, including off-line or shutdown resources, and then use such information to enhance the conference in a number of ways. | 04-17-2014 |
20140112464 | CONFERENCE CALL SYSTEM, METHOD, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT - A conference call system comprises an input interface for receiving during a conference call at least two input streams of audio signal, each from another source. A selection unit is connected to the input interface, for selecting a number of dominant speaker streams out of the input streams, the number being less than or equal to a maximum number of dominant speakers value and each of the dominant speaker streams representing speech from a respective dominant speaker. A mixer is connected to the selection unit, for mixing the selected streams into an output stream. The conference call system comprises an output interface for outputting the output stream and a selection control unit connected to the selection unit and the input interface, for dynamically setting, during the conference call, the maximum number of dominant speakers value based on dynamics of the conference call. | 04-24-2014 |
20140126710 | MANAGING SUBCONFERENCE CALLS WITHIN A PRIMARY CONFERENCE CALL - Managing subconference calls within a primary conference call. An approach includes establishing a primary conference call including a plurality of participants, establishing a subconference call including a subset of the plurality of participants, and providing respective output signals to each of the plurality of participants. Members of the primary conference call are provided with audio only of the primary conference call, and members of the subconference call are provided with audio of the subconference call. The approach also includes providing a visual display that shows respective groupings of members of the subconference call and members of the primary conference call. | 05-08-2014 |
20140140492 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF ADVANCED CALL ROUTING IN MASS TELEPHONY CONFERENCE CALLS - The present invention relates to performing advanced call routing in a mass telephone conference call, including: checking a conferee list to determine whether a telephone number is a ported number; creating a list of carriers for each ported number on the conferee list, which provides a list of the carriers for each ported number; arranging the list of the carriers in order based upon cost, from least expensive to most expensive, for the call; placing the call to each conferee based upon the ordered list of the carriers, starting with the least expensive to the most expensive of the carriers for each ported number; and wherein when the least expensive of the carriers is unavailable, placing the telephone call to a next one of the carriers on the ordered list, from the least expensive to the most expensive of the carriers. | 05-22-2014 |
20140140493 | SOURCE SELECTION FOR CONFERENCE BRIDGES - The present invention provides an audio source selection process for a conference bridge. The conference bridge receives multiple audio sources and selects at least one of the audio sources based on the relative signal levels associated with the audio signal at each of the audio sources. The audio signals associated with the selected source are delivered to conference participants via one or more audio outputs. The conference bridge will repeatedly employ a selection process to select an audio source based on signal level measurements for the audio signals of the audio sources. During the selection process, the influence of a selected audio source relative to the other unselected audio sources is reduced, after the selected audio source has remained selected for more than a first time period. | 05-22-2014 |
20140161243 | System and Method for Minimal Touch Cloud-based Conference Call Service - A method schedules a conference call via a scheduler application on a first information handling system by recording a date, a start time, and an end time and setting invitees for the call. The method further receives bound identification data from an invitee, associates the bound identification data with the scheduled conference call, and stores the bound identification data in a database to enable minimal touch access to the conference call. | 06-12-2014 |
20140161244 | Systems and Methods for Selectively Reviewing a Recorded Conference - A method for selectively reviewing a conference includes synchronously recording an audio conference and content presented in a conference user interface to generate a recorded conference, the conference user interface published to a client device associated with one or more participants, using a characteristic of the conference user interface to index the recorded conference and providing a review interface, responsive to at least one indicator that identifies content of interest within the recorded conference. A conferencing system includes client devices with respective displays, a conference host computer operating a web server and coupled to the client devices via one or more networks, and a data store coupled to the conference host computer. The data store includes a synchronously recorded audio conference and content presented in a conference user interface that defines a recorded conference. The recorded conference includes an index responsive to a characteristic of the conference user interface. | 06-12-2014 |
20140169542 | Audio Bandwidth Extension for Conferencing - In one embodiment, a method includes extracting, by a processor, components from an audio signal to generate a modulating signal. The audio signal is generated by an endpoint operable to capture audio proximate the endpoint. The method also includes filtering, by the processor, the audio signal to generate a band-limited audio signal. The method also includes modulating, by the processor, the band-limited audio signal by the modulating signal to generate an enhancement signal. The method also includes combining, by the processor, the audio signal and the enhancement signal to generate an enhanced audio signal. | 06-19-2014 |
20140169543 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR JOIN SELECTION OF A CONFERENCE CALL - A method and communication device are provided for creating a conference call profile from a communication device, wherein the communication device includes a memory for storing an event record. The method includes: identifying from the event record one or more addresses for communicating with a conference call server; generating a conference call profile having one or more address fields and populating the address fields with the addresses; and storing the generated conference call profile in the memory. A communication device can be configured to perform the method. | 06-19-2014 |
20140169544 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR INTEROPERATION BETWEEN MULTIPLE CONFERENCE SYSTEMS - Embodiments of the present disclosure disclose a method and a system for interoperation between multiple conference systems. The method includes: sending, by a first conference system, a call request message to a second conference system, where the call request message includes conference authentication information of the second conference system, so that the second conference system authenticates the first conference system according to the conference authentication information; and after the authentication is passed, joining, by the first conference system, the second conference system as a participant, where a type of the participant is a conference. In the solutions provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure, the first conference system joins the second conference system as a participant, thereby implementing interoperation between the first conference system and the second conference system and imposing no additional requirement on a terminal. | 06-19-2014 |
20140177815 | Auto-Dial and Connection into Conference Calls - Methods and systems for dialing into conference calls are presented. A meeting request is received by an attendee, and the dial-in information in the meeting request is stored. A meeting reminder is displayed at the proposed date and time or a predetermined period prior to the proposed date and time, and a conference call confirmation instruction or cancellation instruction is received from the attendee. The conference call dial-in number is automatically dialed at the proposed date and time. A network connection is established and the conference call meeting identification number is transmitted. | 06-26-2014 |
20140185785 | COLLABORATIVE VOLUME MANAGEMENT - Exemplary embodiments provide collaborative call management wherein during a multi-participant audio communication, volume adjustments made on participant devices for a specific speaker are detected and passed to a conference server to generate collaborative volume feedback; and using the collaborative volume feedback to adjust a volume level of the specific speaker for all participants of the audio communication. | 07-03-2014 |
20140219433 | TIMELINE INTERFACE FOR MULTI-MODAL COLLABORATION - A system, method, and computer readable medium are provided to manage a conference. The start of a conference is identified. For example, the start of the conference is identified when a host dials into a conference bridge. A timeline is created for the conference based on a first event that occurs at the start of the conference. The timeline includes the first event. The timeline is updated in real-time with a second event, as a second event occurs during the conference. This process is repeated throughout the conference. The timeline is rendered for display to one or more participants in the conference. The conference is then displayed to the conference participants, thus providing the conference participants with a real-time timeline of the conference. | 08-07-2014 |
20140219434 | METHODS, APPARATUSES, AND SYSTEMS FOR GENERATING AN ACTION ITEM IN RESPONSE TO A DETECTED AUDIO TRIGGER DURING A CONVERSATION - Embodiments include methods, apparatuses, and systems for generating an action item in response to a detected audio trigger during a conversation. Embodiments relate to generation of one or more action items in response to detection of an audio trigger, such as a spoken command, keyword, audio tone or other indicator, which is detected during a conversation, such as an audio or video conference or peer-to-peer conversation. The audio trigger and a portion of the conversation are then used to generate an action item relating to the audio trigger and an accompanying portion of the conversation. By automatically generating action items in real time as part of a conversation, action items can be captured and stored more efficiently, and the participants in the conversation are allowed greater confidence that all items requiring follow up actions are properly stored and organized. | 08-07-2014 |
20140219435 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TRANSFERRING A CALL BRIDGE BETWEEN COMMUNICATION DEVICES - An improved system and method are disclosed for conference bridging. In one example, the method enables a device engaged in a conference call as a participant to bridge the conference call and to transfer the bridge to another device engaged in the conference call as a participant. | 08-07-2014 |
20140233716 | TELECONFERENCING USING STEGANOGRAPHICALLY-EMBEDDED AUDIO DATA - A multi-party control unit (MCU) generates, based on audio data streams that represent sounds associated terminal devices, a mixed audio data stream. In addition, the MCU modifies the mixed mono audio data to steganographically embed sub-streams that include representations of the mono audio data streams. A terminal device receives the modified mixed audio data stream. When the terminal device is configured for stereo playback, the terminal device performs an inverse steganographic process to extract, from the mixed audio data stream, the sub-streams. The terminal device generates and outputs multi-channel audio data based on the extracted sub-streams and the mixed audio data stream. When the terminal device is not configured for stereo playback, the terminal device outputs sound based on the mixed audio data stream without extracting the embedded sub-streams. | 08-21-2014 |
20140270129 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CONFERENCE CALLING USING PERSONAL URL - Systems and methods are disclosed for managing conference calling using a URL assigned to a conference call organizer. One method includes receiving, from a conference call organizer, a request to be placed into a conference call associated with a URL assigned to the organizer; and receiving, from a prospective conference call participant, a request to be placed into the conference call associated with the URL. Another method includes receiving, from a first user, through a web page of a URL assigned to the first user, a first phone number at which the first user can be called; receiving, from a second user, through the web page of the URL, a second phone number at which the second user can be called; and initiating phone calls to the first user at the first number and the second user at the second number. | 09-18-2014 |
20140286485 | MONITORING AND PROVIDING ACCESS TO BACK TO BACK SCHEDULED CONFERENCE CALLS - A method for monitoring and providing access to back to back scheduled conference calls within a teleconferencing system. The method includes receiving a call and a password entry from a caller. The method includes determining the password entry is valid for a scheduled conference call. The method includes determining the scheduled conference call is scheduled back to back with a previous conference call and that the previous conference call is not over. The method then includes determining the password entry is a specific password, wherein the specific password is issued only to callers accessing back to back scheduled conference calls and placing the caller on hold. | 09-25-2014 |
20140301539 | Disposable Telephone Numbers - Methods, systems, and products are disclosed that provide disposable numbers for a conference service. A disposable number is assigned to a conference bridge that is only activated for a defined period of time, after which the disposable number is disposed and deactivated. A call is received to the disposable number, and the call is routed to the conference bridge. A database is queried that associates the disposable number to a subscriber's number. Subscriber information is retrieved that describes when a conference bridge subscription is active. If the conference bridge subscription is active, then a caller is connected to the conference bridge. If the conference bridge subscription is inactive, then the caller is prompted to pay for a conference service. | 10-09-2014 |
20140314222 | APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR NOTIFICATION OF A PARTY IN A TELEPHONE CONFERENCE - Systems, methods, and machine-readable articles of manufacture enable private notification of a participant in a telephone conference. In representative embodiments, a system receives a telephone call intended for a first conference participant, generates an informative announcement containing information regarding the call, mixes the informative announcement with the conference audio, and privately plays the mixed audio to the first participant. In other representative embodiments, the system concurrently generates a non-informative announcement, mixes the non-informative announcement with the conference audio, and plays the second mixed audio to the other conference participant or participants. In this way, the first participant is notified of the incoming call while simultaneously listening to the conference audio, and the information regarding the call is not shared with the other conference participant or participants. | 10-23-2014 |
20140314223 | Mixed Media Conferencing - Multiple users participate in a conference while taking maximum advantage of hardware and bandwidth capabilities of each participant. Each user's system makes known to a directory service its hardware sending and receiving capabilities. The directory service makes this information available to other users who may then wish to join a conference with the user. An initiating user sends invitations via the directory service to the remote users. Each user that accepts an invitation transmits its network address to the initiating user, who then establishes a peer-to-peer connection with each of the remote users. Each participant system exchanges information about hardware capabilities and bandwidth, and a conference manager determines a best model for connecting each of the participants. Depending on the hardware and bandwidth capabilities of the participants, the manager chooses from a duplicate streams model, a multicast model, and a host-among-peers model for connecting the participants. | 10-23-2014 |
20140321631 | CONFERENCE CALL AUTHENTICATION UTILIZING PASSCODES PERSONAL TO USERS - A system comprises a plurality of user devices and a conference call bridge connected to the plurality of end user devices via one or more networks. The conference call bridge is configured to connect to a given one of the plurality of user devices, receive a passcode from the given user device, and authenticate the given user device using the passcode. The passcode is personal to the given user. | 10-30-2014 |
20140362982 | DATA EXCHANGE METHOD, DEVICE, AND SYSTEM FOR GROUP COMMUNICATION - A method is provided for group communication data exchange. The method includes sending by a business client an identifier of a communication group corresponding to a user group including a first user to a voice service client, and establishing by the voice service client a long connection between the voice service client and a voice service system based on the identifier of the communication group. The method also includes adding by the voice service system the user to a communication group included in the voice service system, and performing by the voice service client data exchange with the voice service system over the long connection for group communication data generated by the communication group. | 12-11-2014 |
20140369483 | USING PHYSICAL GESTURES TO INITIATE CALL TRANSFERS BETWEEN DEVICES - Various technologies described herein pertain to using detected physical gestures to cause calls to transfer between client devices. A physical gesture between a first client device and a second client device can be detected (e.g., utilizing the first client device, the second client device, a disparate client-side device, a server, etc.). The first client device participates in a call, while the second client device is not participating in the call at a time of the detection of the physical gesture. Responsive to detection of the physical gesture, participation of the second client device in the call can be initiated. Participation of the second client device in the call can be initiated by causing the call to transfer from the first client device to the second client device or causing the second client device to join the call while the first client device continues to participate in the call. | 12-18-2014 |
20150030147 | Conference Multiplexing - Methods, products, apparatuses, and systems may provide at least multiplexed audio for a plurality of conferences. A conference attendee may simultaneously listen to the plurality of conferences via the multiplexed audio. Audio corresponding only to a respective conference of the plurality of conferences may be provided to another conference attendee having access to the respective conference. The multiplexed audio may be blocked from one or more other attendees. In addition, a conference operation may be implemented at any time to add a conference, delete a conference, select a subset of conferences, and/or rejoin conferences. | 01-29-2015 |
20150030148 | Key Code for a Conference Operation - Methods, products, apparatuses, and systems may facilitate a conference operation. The conference operation may include conference chaining, conference switching, conference modification, conference announcement, and so on. A collection of authentication data for a plurality of distinct conferences may be performed to chain the conferences. Switching among the distinct conference may be performed in response to a switch key code. The switch key code may include a general key code applicable to each of the conferences and/or a specific key code application to a specific conference. | 01-29-2015 |
20150030149 | Speech-Selective Audio Mixing for Conference - A conference apparatus reduces or eliminates noise in audio for endpoints in a conference. Endpoints in the conference are designated as a primary talker and as secondary talkers. Audio for the endpoints is processed with speech detectors to characterize the audio as speech or not and to determine energy levels of the audio. As the audio is written to buffers and then read from the buffers, decisions for the gain settings of faders for read audio of the endpoints being combined in the speech selective mix. In addition, the conference apparatus can mitigate the effects of a possible speech collision that may occur during the conference between endpoints. | 01-29-2015 |
20150049868 | Clustering of Audio Streams in a 2D / 3D Conference Scene - The present document relates to methods and systems for setting up and managing two-dimensional or three-dimensional scenes for audio conferences. A conference controller ( | 02-19-2015 |
20150055770 | Placement of Sound Signals in a 2D or 3D Audio Conference - A conference controller ( | 02-26-2015 |
20150063553 | MULTIDIMENSIONAL VIRTUAL LEARNING AUDIO PROGRAMMING SYSTEM AND METHOD - A process and system for generating three dimensional audio for television broadcast includes generating a virtual map of participants with a plurality of positions, each participant selecting one of the positions, determining a direction from each position to each other position on the map and to predetermined listener position, receiving sound from each participant, converting the received sound according to the direction of the speaking participant to the listener, mixing the converted sounds, transforming the mixed sound into binaural audio, and directing the binaural audio sound for transmission to a television viewer. The result is a clarified sound that gives to the television viewer a sense of where the speaking participant is positioned relative to the listening television viewer. | 03-05-2015 |
20150098559 | SYNCHRONIZING AUDIO SIGNAL SAMPLING IN A WIRELESS, DIGITAL AUDIO CONFERENCINGT SYSTEM - A digital audio conferencing system has a fixed base station that is in communication with a far end (R.E.) system over a communication network. The base station is associated with a wireless loudspeaker and one or more wireless microphones. The base station operates to receive F.E. audio signals to be played by the wireless loudspeaker, and it operates to remove acoustic echo picked up by the wireless microphones. A first clock controlling F.E. audio signal sampling at the base station, and a second clock controlling audio signal sampling and at a wireless microphone are synchronized to one master, reference clock that controls the operation of the base station. Acoustic echo included in an audio signal picked up by a wireless microphone is removed by AEC functionality running in the base station. | 04-09-2015 |
20150103991 | CONFERENCE SYSTEM WITH ENHANCED SECURITY AND AUTHENTICATION - A system receives, at a conference platform, a communication from a communications device of a requester requesting to host an audio conference. The system determines whether an access code provided by the requester is a valid access code associated with a provider communications address specified by the requester. A processor identifies a country from which the communication of the requester originated and determines whether the country from which the communication of the requester originated is a pre-authorized country, associated with a host account, from which to host the global audio conference. An audio conference is established when the access code specified by the requester is determined to be a valid access code associated with the provider communications address specified by the requester and when the country from which the communication of the requester originated is determined to be a pre-authorized country from which to host the audio conference. | 04-16-2015 |
20150103992 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR NEAR REAL-TIME VOICE CALLING TO A PLURALITY OF RECIPIENTS - A phone system includes an application server and a phone server. The application server is configured to provide a phone number to a source caller to connect to the phone system, and to receive a subscription of listeners associated with the source caller. The phone server is configured to receive voice call content from the source caller using the phone number. The application server is then configured to cause the phone server to phone dial the subscription of listeners to provide the voice call content to the subscription of listeners based on a validation of the source caller. | 04-16-2015 |
20150110259 | MEETING COORDINATION SYSTEM AND ATTENDEE TRACKING FOR USE IN AUTOMATED MULTI-MEDIA CONFERENCE CALL SYSTEM - Methods for operating a meeting coordinator to initiate a teleconference meeting using an automated teleconferencing system, having corresponding meeting coordinators and computer-readable media, comprise: generating a roster of meeting participants comprising meeting invitees; accessing calendaring information concerning the teleconference meeting, the calendaring information including a time of the meeting; a meeting location; identities of the meeting invitees; and contact information for the meeting invitees; and transmitting at least some of the calendaring information to the teleconferencing system to enable the system to connect remotely-located meeting invitees. | 04-23-2015 |
20150117626 | USING AUDIO SIGNALS TO IDENTIFY WHEN CLIENT DEVICES ARE CO-LOCATED - A technique manages an online meeting. The technique includes providing an audio output signal to a first client device currently participating in the online meeting. The audio output signal directs the first client device to play a particular sound (e.g., a unique tone or a unique series of tones). The technique further involves receiving an audio input signal from a second client device. The audio input signal includes the particular sound. The technique further involves identifying the second client device as being co-located with the first client device in response to the audio input signal which includes the particular sound. Such operation enables the electronic circuitry (e.g., a processing circuit of an online meeting server) to learn whether any client devices are co-located and accordingly associate multiple devices to a single user connected to the online meeting. | 04-30-2015 |
20150117627 | Multicall Telephone System - A Multicall telephony system has a first land-line telephone connected to a central switch in a land-line telephone network and a server executing SW on a processor from a non-transitory medium, the server also coupled to the land-line telephone system by a service telephone number. In operation a user dials the service telephone number, and when connected, dials two or more telephone numbers separated by delimiters and followed by a terminator character, and the server, executing the software, dials the two or more telephone numbers separated by delimiters in the call from the first land-line telephone, and connects answered calls in a conference with the call placed by the first land-line telephone. | 04-30-2015 |
20150117628 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ENHANCING COLLABORATION - In order to enhance collaborations, the system responds to a trigger event to determine the nature of any collaboration which should be assembled in response to the trigger, and determines the requirements needed to respond to the event. These requirements set out the type of resources (personnel, equipment, information systems, etc) that are needed. The system then identifies a subset of specific resources based on a criteria, and invites the specified resources to collaborate to respond to the event. The criteria can include the availability of the specific resource. According to an embodiment, the system evaluates responses from the invited resources and then convenes the collaboration, for example by establishing one or more communication sessions. According to an embodiment, the system evaluates responses from the invited resources to ensure that the requirements are satisfied, and if not, determines other resources to invite. | 04-30-2015 |
20150124950 | CALL HANDLING - Disclosed herein is a technique whereby a user device joins a call conducted over a network, generates audio which can be processed to identify that user device and, during the call, outputs the audio such that it can be received by another user device in the vicinity of the user device which is already participating in the call, thereby enabling the other user device to identify that user device. | 05-07-2015 |
20150319309 | PHONE CALL PLAYBACK WITH INTELLIGENT NOTIFICATION - Notifying a participant in a teleconference while the teleconference is in progress. The telecommunication device receives audio data representing natural language spoken during a teleconference in progress. The telecommunication device determines if information associated with a participant in the teleconference in progress is in the natural language audio data. Responsive to determining that information associated with the participant in the teleconference in progress is in the natural language audio data, notifying, by the telecommunication device, the participant. | 11-05-2015 |
20150334243 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR INTEROPERATION BETWEEN MULTIPLE CONFERENCE SYSTEMS - A method for interoperation between multiple conference systems is described. In the method, a first conference system sends a call request message, which includes conference authentication information of a second conference created by a second conference system, to a second conference system for authentication. After the authentication is passed, the first conference system joins the second conference as a participant, where a type of the participant is a conference. | 11-19-2015 |
20150334247 | CONFERENCE SYSTEM AND PROCESS FOR VOICE ACTIVATION IN THE CONFERENCE SYSTEM - Conference systems are used for example in discussions and usually comprise a plurality of delegate units with microphones, whereby in a discussion each discussion participant uses his own delegate unit. Usually the delegate units have a switch or the like, that allows the participant in front of the delegate unit to request, that his microphone is activated, so that the speech of the participant is input in the conference system and amplified by the conference system. A conference system comprising ( | 11-19-2015 |
20150350451 | In-Call Translation - The disclosure pertains to a communication system for effecting a voice or video call between at least a source user speaking a source language and a target user speaking a target language. A translation procedure is performed on call audio of the call to generate an audio translation of the source user's speech in the target language for outputting to the target user. A notification is outputted to the target user to notify the target user of a change in the behaviour of the translation procedure, the change relating to the generation of the translation. | 12-03-2015 |
20150381817 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR A CALL OVER NETWORK WITH A VISUALIZED SUMMARY - Systems and methods for a call over network (CON) with a visualized summary are provided. In some embodiments, after the call concludes, a visualized summary of the call can be generated. The summary includes any of the recording of the call, transcriptions, scenario information, speaker information and the duration each speaker was talking, etc. Scenario may be generated by comparing the call speaking pattern to known templates of call types. Additionally, participant features employed in the call may be summarized in chronological relation to the calls progression in a visual format. | 12-31-2015 |
20160021254 | METHODS, SYSTEMS, AND APPARATUS FOR CONDUCTING A CONFERENCE SESSION - Methods, systems, apparatus, and articles of manufacture for initiating and conducting a conference call are described. Identification information of a user is obtained, and an electronic mail address and/or user name of the user is determined based on the identification information. At least a first portion of an online calendar of the user is accessed based on the electronic mail address or user name, and at least a second portion of the online calendar is parsed to identify one or more scheduled conference sessions. One or more of the scheduled conference sessions are presented to the user, and a user selection of one of the scheduled conference sessions is obtained. A conference session is established based on the user selection of the scheduled conference session. | 01-21-2016 |
20160057558 | MULTIDIMENSIONAL VIRTUAL LEARNING SYSTEM AND METHOD - A process and system for generating three dimensional sound conferencing includes generating a virtual map with a plurality of positions, each participant selecting one of the positions, determining a direction from each position to each other position on the map, determining a distance from each position to each other position on the map, receiving sound from each participant, mixing the received sound, transforming the mixed sound into binaural audio, and directing the binaural audio sound to each participant via a speaker associated with the virtual position of the speaking participant. The result is a clarified sound that gives to the listening participant a sense of where the speaking participant is positioned relative to the listening participant. | 02-25-2016 |
20160072957 | Call Center Calling Apparatus And Method - A call center having a telephony server configured for a caller to hold two-way telephone conferences with a plurality of contacts in sequence, in which the telephony server initiates a call to the contact, and upon establishing a connection with the contact joins the connection to a conference bridge with the caller, disengages the connection to the conference bridge upon disconnection of the call by the contact, and initiates a subsequent call to another contact while maintaining the caller in connection with the conference bridge. | 03-10-2016 |
20160080574 | FACILITATED SELECTED SPECIALIST COMMUNICATION - Embodiments are described herein directed to a selected specialist communication system (“SSC”) to facilitate communication with a specialist. The SSC may be utilized where a representative may wish to facilitate communication between a provider and a specialist. The SSC may select from specialists based on one or more factors. Selection of specialists may prevent repeated contacts between particular specialists and providers to reduce undue influence. The SSC may facilitate establishment of a video and/or audio connection between the provider and the specialist. The communication may utilize a device of the representative. The SSC may request disclosures from providers and/or representatives. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed. | 03-17-2016 |
20160080575 | CONFERENCE CALL AUTHENTICATION UTILIZING PASSCODES PERSONAL TO USERS - A system comprises a plurality of user devices and a conference call bridge connected to the plurality of end user devices via one or more networks. The conference call bridge is configured to connect to a given one of the plurality of user devices, receive a passcode from the given user device, and authenticate the given user device using the passcode. The passcode is personal to the given user. | 03-17-2016 |
20160105566 | CONFERENCE CALL QUESTION MANAGER - Questions are received for a conference call. The questions are submitted electronically, such as by email or Instant Messaging (IM). The questions can be submitted before and/or during the conference call. The questions are clustered into one or more similar categories. The clustered questions are sent to participants of a conference. For example, the questions can be sent to a presenter of the conference call as an agenda to follow for a question and answer section of the conference call. Likewise, the questions may also be sent to the conference participants as an agenda of the question and answer section of the conference call. The presenter can discuss the questions with the conference participants based on the categorization of the submitted questions. | 04-14-2016 |
20160112572 | CONFERENCE CALL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - A method of establishing a conference call includes extracting conference identification information from event data. The conference identification information including a set of candidate conference numbers, a set of candidate access codes, and a set of dialing format tokens. The conference identification information is classified into a plurality of tiers based on whether the set of candidate conference numbers includes a valid conference number, whether the set of candidate access codes includes a corresponding valid access code, and whether the set of dialing format tokens includes a corresponding valid dialing format token. The conference identification information is promoted to a first tier of the plurality of tiers from a second tier of the plurality of tiers by augmenting the conference identification information with supplemental information provided by a user. | 04-21-2016 |
20160182726 | AUTOMATIC ALLOCATION OF REMOTE BRIDGES AND CONNECTION TO HOST BRIDGE | 06-23-2016 |
20160255203 | AUDIO PROCESSING FOR MULTI-PARTICIPANT COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS | 09-01-2016 |
20160381227 | METHODS AND APPARATUSES FOR CONNECTING CONSUMERS TO LOCAL SERVICE PROVIDERS - Aspects of the present disclosure are presented for allowing a customer to request a service and to very quickly be put in touch with a local service provider who can perform the requested service. The customer need not know the identity of the vendor beforehand, and the vendor may not know the identity of the customer before agreeing to discuss the service, in some embodiments. Multiple local service providers may be contacted in parallel by a centralized server configured to connect the customer with the local service providers. In some embodiments, the most qualified or most highly rated local service providers for the particular service may be identified and then contacted first. In some embodiments, the customer may be put in touch with one or more vendors in a very short amount of time after submitting the request, e.g., within 90 seconds. | 12-29-2016 |
20180027123 | CONFERENCE SEARCHING AND PLAYBACK OF SEARCH RESULTS | 01-25-2018 |
20190149585 | MANAGING ACCESS TO A CONFERENCE CALL | 05-16-2019 |
20220141341 | CONFERENCE TERMINAL AND MULTI-DEVICE COORDINATING METHOD FOR CONFERENCE - A conference terminal and a multi-device coordinating method for the conference are provided. In the method, multiple conference terminals are allocated to a plurality of areas according to location relationship. Each area includes one or more conference terminals that are close in the location relationship. An input sound signal is obtained from picking up a sound by the conference terminal in each area. The input sound signal of the one or more conference terminals in a first area among the areas is allocated to the one or more conference terminals in a second area among the areas to be played. The input sound signal obtained from picking up the sound by the conference terminal in each area is not played by any conference terminal in the same area. | 05-05-2022 |