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`US007804948B2
`
`c12) United States Patent
`Turner
`
`(IO) Patent No.:
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`US 7 ,804,948 B2
`Sep.28,2010
`
`(54) SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INITIATING A
`CONFERENCE CALL
`
`(75)
`
`Inventor: Tod Turner, Lake Forest Park, WA (US)
`
`(73) Assignee: LINQware, Inc., Kenmore, WA (US)
`
`( *) Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term ofthis
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
`
`(21) Appl. No.: 11/019,655
`
`(22) Filed:
`
`Dec. 22, 2004
`
`(65)
`
`Prior Publication Data
`
`US 2005/0238156 Al
`
`Oct. 27, 2005
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`
`(60) Provisional application No. 60/531,722, filed on Dec.
`22, 2003.
`
`(51)
`
`Int. Cl.
`H04M 3156
`(2006.01)
`H04L 12118
`(2006.01)
`(52) U.S. Cl. ................... 379/204.01; 370/261; 455/416
`(58) Field of Classification Search ....................... None
`See application file for complete search history.
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`5,995,608 A * 1111999 Detampel et al.
`...... 379/205.01
`6,181,786 Bl
`1/2001 Detampel, Jr. eta!.
`
`6,188,683 Bl
`6,856,809 B2 *
`7,085,258 B2
`2002/0071539 Al
`2002/0071540 Al
`2002/0078150 Al
`2002/0118809 Al
`2002/0122391 Al*
`2003/0105820 Al*
`2006/0088152 Al*
`
`2/2001
`212005
`8/2006
`612002
`612002
`612002
`8/2002
`912002
`6/2003
`412006
`
`Lang et al.
`Fostick ....................... 455/466
`Creamer et al.
`Diament et al.
`Dworkin
`Thompson et al.
`Eisenberg
`Shalit ......................... 370/260
`Haims eta!. . ............... 709/205
`Green et al.
`........... 379/202.01
`
`* cited by examiner
`Primary Examiner-Harry S Hong
`(7 4 )Attorney, Agent, or Firm---Connolly Bove Lodge & Hutz
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`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.
`
`66 Claims, 14 Drawing Sheets
`
`CBX
`
`Conference Request Procesor
`
`'fo2
`
`Telephone Networks
`
`-----~ I PSTN
`:=========:
`lvo1P
`I Cellular Network
`I Satellite Network
`
`"(08
`
`Account, User,
`History, Provider
`Database
`
`IM Communications Processor
`
`N
`E
`T
`w
`0
`R
`K
`
`Shared Application Session Server
`
`-
`
`Conference Call Bridge Provider A
`
`Conference Call Bridge Provider B
`
`0
`0
`0
`
`UserD
`
`14-1-+--1-~
`
`Phone
`
`];d ~ I
`--~ Phone
`
`CSCO-1001
`Cisco v. Uniloc
`Page 1 of 23
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep.28,2010
`
`Sheet 1of14
`
`US 7 ,804,948 B2
`
`Figure 1
`
`Provide
`Conference Call
`Server
`
`p
`
`Provide NAO
`to Call
`Requester
`
`r
`
`Call Requester
`Generates Cont.
`Call Request
`
`v
`
`Transmit
`Conf. Request
`Message
`
`Ir
`
`rL f oZ.
`
`n__
`
`r-1-
`
`n_ r
`
`Conf. Request
`Message Received n_,, 0
`
`..
`
`Conf. Request
`Message
`Parsed
`
`"l..1
`
`7
`
`Initiate
`Conference
`Call
`
`1'1
`i.-L..- I
`
`CSCO-1001
`Cisco v. Uniloc
`Page 2 of 23
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep.28,2010
`
`Sheet 2of14
`
`US 7 ,804,948 B2
`
`Network Portal
`establishes connection
`with IM server to
`determine presence of
`potential conference
`attendees (targets)
`
`IM Contacts
`List
`
`Previous
`Conference
`Participants
`
`If Target
`is on-line,
`user may
`
`-~~------No~-------~
`~----Yes
`
`Likely AN l's are established for each
`target
`
`Network Portal establishes text
`message with 1 or more other targets
`
`z.o?..
`
`Email Contacts
`List
`
`Additional targets are manually added
`to list
`
`Targets are sent invitation to
`conference call via text messenger
`
`Saved
`Conference
`Setups
`
`No
`
`~
`
`List of Targets to
`be placed on call
`are sent via Text
`Messaging to
`Conference Call
`Creator Software
`
`Conference Call
`Creator Software
`establishes
`Conference Bridge
`with Service
`Provider
`
`z.1 o
`
`t.1 2.
`
`each Target
`
`Figure 2
`
`CSCO-1001
`Cisco v. Uniloc
`Page 3 of 23
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep.28,2010
`
`Sheet 3of14
`
`US 7 ,804,948 B2
`
`Figure 3
`
`IM Contacts List
`
`Previous Conference
`Participants
`
`Email Contacts List
`
`Saved Conference
`Setups
`
`Prompt User for
`Credit Card Info
`
`Jo8
`
`User A is using IM
`User A
`software 14 - - - - - - - -1
`
`START
`
`User A requests conference by
`'pressing' conference button on screen
`
`User A selects which people to have
`joined in the coonference
`
`~10
`
`302...
`
`UserB
`IM Target in text
`chat
`
`UserC
`IM Target not in
`text chat
`
`No
`
`32.0
`
`No
`
`Validate Credit
`Card Info.
`
`Display Message
`for User A - no
`conferencess
`allowed
`
`Yes
`
`')ll'o
`
`3 2'1
`
`Stop
`
`CBX server send
`User A CBX client
`>--~--------__., serenqdusecsot nt
`eCreBnXce 1---------------i~ conference
`request message
`server
`to targets Band C
`
`0f
`
`Stop
`
`Conference
`Data
`
`conference
`request, looks up
`profile information
`for targets in this
`f r
`
`IM Client prompts
`target to validate
`direct connect
`info., or choose
`self direct
`
`Yes
`
`Conference server sends
`message to IM Targets B and C,
`and their conference buttons
`become disabled within all
`conferences, ch
`to user setting
`
`33 8
`
`31 2
`
`3-z.<.. c
`
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`'!'
`Stop
`
`)
`
`"3'.34
`
`Conference Originator
`is prompted to record
`conference
`
`Conference Bridge is
`created by
`Conference Switch
`
`Yes
`
`IM Client pops up
`message with access
`info. required for self(cid:173)
`connect to
`conference
`
`No
`
`Conference
`Provider ring,
`or connects
`targets A,B,C
`and other
`targets in
`conference
`originator list
`to bridge
`
`Conference Server
`Receives Recording
`Transcript - adds to
`session information
`Yes
`
`Conference Server tells all
`targets that conference is >----~
`completed, re-renabled
`conference button
`
`For Every target
`connected, color on IM
`conversation changes
`to Yell/ow, when
`connected, color
`changes to Green,
`recording icon is lit
`
`Conference Ends,
`Conference server
`records du ration,
`participants of
`conference
`
`Return 'Conference
`Cannot be Completed
`message to Conference
`server
`
`Conference
`Provider adds
`"silent target for
`recording
`
`CSCO-1001
`Cisco v. Uniloc
`Page 4 of 23
`
`

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`i<I-
`
`CSCO-1001
`Cisco v. Uniloc
`Page 5 of 23
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep.28,2010
`
`Sheet 5of14
`
`US 7 ,804,948 B2
`
`Figure 5
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`CSCO-1001
`Cisco v. Uniloc
`Page 6 of 23
`
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`CSCO-1001
`Cisco v. Uniloc
`Page 7 of 23
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`CSCO-1001
`Cisco v. Uniloc
`Page 8 of 23
`
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`CSCO-1001
`Cisco v. Uniloc
`Page 9 of 23
`
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`CSCO-1001
`Cisco v. Uniloc
`Page 10 of 23
`
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`CSCO-1001
`Cisco v. Uniloc
`Page 11 of 23
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep.28,2010
`
`Sheet 11of14
`
`US 7 ,804,948 B2
`
`Figure 12
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`CSCO-1001
`Cisco v. Uniloc
`Page 13 of 23
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`Start Time· 7:31:13AM
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`
`CSCO-1001
`Cisco v. Uniloc
`Page 14 of 23
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep.28,2010
`
`Sheet 14of14
`
`US 7 ,804,948 B2
`
`Figure 15
`
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`CSCO-1001
`Cisco v. Uniloc
`Page 15 of 23
`
`

`
`US 7,804,948 B2
`
`1
`SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INITIATING A
`CONFERENCE CALL
`
`RELATED APPLICATIONS
`
`The present application is a continuation-in-part of U.S.
`Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/531,722 filed on
`Dec. 22, 2003, the entire contents of which are incorporated
`herein by reference thereto.
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`
`The present invention relates generally to a method for
`initiating a conference call between two or more users, and
`more particularly to initiating a voice conference call between
`two or more users using a central server to communicate
`parameters for the call and for initiating the call itself.
`
`BACKGROUND
`
`Business meetings where the differing perspectives of the
`participants provide the value of the meeting have been con(cid:173)
`ducted for a long time. As the costs associated with travel have
`increased, companies have turned from face to face meetings
`to meetings allowing participants to be separately located, 25
`including telephone conferences, video conferences, and
`more recently through on-line meetings.
`As traffic congestion grows in every part of the country, and
`software tools improve, companies worldwide are recogniz(cid:173)
`ing that it is possible to have effective meetings on-line. There
`are various forms of real-time, or on-line, collaboration. The
`simplest form is instant messaging. The ability of messaging
`software to tell another user who is available at a given
`moment is called "presence". Presence awareness has been
`proven to eliminate up to 35% ofvoicemail, and as much as
`30% of email, particularly long threaded discussions.
`Because of this, instant messaging has become the fastest
`growing form of communication in history. Gartner predicts
`over 200 million business users will be using some form of
`enterprise instant messaging by the end of 2005, an increase 40
`of over 100 million users from 2003.
`Instant messaging has its roots in the consumer industry,
`but is virally working its way into corporations. Consumer
`messaging systems typically offer no security, no IT control
`over usage, and no reporting capabilities. Nor do consumer
`systems offer tracking history of conversations, a requirement
`of a number of federal statutes, from the SEC to Sarbanes(cid:173)
`Oxley to the new medical HIPPA requirements. There are no
`clear leaders in the corporate instant messaging market,
`although the opportunity has been recently showcased by the 50
`entrance of Microsoft and IBM.
`Oftentimes, messaging leads to the requirement for one or
`more meetings with the participants. Historically this
`required travel, which lengthened the business processes and
`significantly increased costs. With the advent of various
`forms of desktop application sharing, it is now possible for
`multiple users to "see" the same desktop at the same time.
`This "real-time" collaboration market is just emerging, and is
`estimated by Collaborative Strategies to be about a $6 billion
`market, with an average annual growth rate of 64% through 60
`2005, and is expected to add20 million users to its ranks in the
`next several years.
`Ina recent Deloitte Consulting survey of300 of the Fortune
`1000, collaboration was top priority with 75% of respon(cid:173)
`dents. While less than 30% were using some form of collabo- 65
`rative tools today, 80% of respondents said they would imple(cid:173)
`ment some collaboration capability by 2005. According to a
`
`2
`recent Yankee Group survey, companies will save $223 B over
`next 5 years by collaborating over the Internet.
`Because of the size of this emerging opportunity, Microsoft
`recently acquired a company called Placeware, for $180 mil(cid:173)
`lion, to provide software for on-line meetings. Placeware has
`beenrenamed and is now being offered by Microsoft, coupled
`with Windows 2003 server, as Microsoft Live Meeting.
`Microsoft internally calculates that they will save over $43
`million this year alone in time and travel costs if just 1 in 5
`10 meetings are conducted on-line. Microsoft will spend over
`$300 million this year promoting Live Meeting, and joins
`IBM with its Lotus Sametime product, Web Ex, and another 3
`dozen smaller competitors.
`The commonality of all of the collaboration products is that
`15 once the users begin their on-line meeting, they use a number
`of tools. Many of them require some form of application
`sharing, and all of them require some form of accompanying
`communication, from instant messaging to conference calls.
`Although instant messaging is sometimes used for extended
`20 conversations, most of the time the discussions are brief.
`'Conversations' between a number of participants that
`become more involved are dependent upon the typing skills of
`each participant, which leads to the need for everyone to join
`in a conference call.
`Similarly, real-time collaboration products imply the need
`for a conference call. MS Live Meeting, IBM Lotus Same(cid:173)
`time, Web Ex, and a host of other software products all make
`an assumption that once you are sharing a document or
`spreadsheet, the users are on a conference call so they can
`30 discuss it. This brings real value to the meeting, yet the
`integration of the call into the collaboration process has not
`yet been addressed.
`In the past, the problem with integrating telephony prod(cid:173)
`ucts into software has centered on integration with the PBX.
`35 In large part this is because the call initiator's computer
`needed to pass the various telephony commands to the PBX,
`and no two PBX' s are alike. This requires system integrators,
`and up until now has reduced the scalability of the opportu-
`nity.
`Furthermore, most PBX systems can only join a few users
`in a conference call. They carmot join many parties, leaving
`the originators the option of creating either a "meet me' or an
`operator assisted conference call. Because the users must
`typically dial a central number, such as a toll free number, and
`45 enter a passcode, it is difficult to make the calls spontaneous.
`Yet, the needs of both instant messaging and on-line meetings
`demand it.
`A further concern arises regarding the security of a confer(cid:173)
`ence call using the call in model. Any caller knowing the call
`in number and passcode may enter into the conference call,
`without the knowledge of the other members of the call.
`Although it is possible for the call service to monitor the
`number of connections, the call service may be unable to
`ascertain the identity of callers, such as where the calling
`55 number is blocked. Furthermore, even if the identity of par(cid:173)
`ticipants were disclosed to a call originator during a confer(cid:173)
`ence call, such information could be a distraction during the
`conference call.
`Conference calls today fall into 2 categories:
`1. "Meet Me" calls-These conference calls involve all
`users of the call dialing, via a publicly switched tele(cid:173)
`phone network (hereafter "PSTN"), cellular telephone,
`or via a voice over internet protocol network, a central
`phone number or ANI to a conference bridge and enter-
`ing a personal identification number (hereafter "PIN")
`or pass code to join the call. These calls may be may be
`set up by an originating user by going to a web site to set
`
`CSCO-1001
`Cisco v. Uniloc
`Page 16 of 23
`
`

`
`US 7,804,948 B2
`
`4
`determine parameters associated with a requested conference
`call; and initiating a conference call in accordance with
`parameters associated with the requested conference call. The
`instant messaging service may be adapted to communicate
`conference call request information with the conference call
`server.
`The present invention may further use the presence com(cid:173)
`ponent of an instant messaging system to determine whether
`prospective attendees are available for a conference call
`10 through this presence with the instant messaging service, then
`using stored information that includes an address for a party,
`either through an IM charmel or at a specific phone number or
`VOIP address, create the ability for instant messaging users to
`immediately create any combination of PSTN, Cellular, and
`15 VOIP conference calls between users some of whom may be
`in instant messaging sessions, and without the necessity of
`each user to dial a telephone number or having the host look
`up the phone number of each participant in order to place an
`outbound telephone call. The invention may collect, through
`20 a variety of means, the information needed to join those users
`into a telephone conference call, pass the dialing information
`and other parameters to a central server, and send an invitation
`to each participant in advance of placing the call. The central
`server may directly or indirectly establish a conference
`25 bridge, initiate a series of outbound calls to each of the
`selected users from the instant messaging session, and seam(cid:173)
`lessly join those users in a conference call using a conference
`bridge. Via the instant messaging service, the conference call
`initiator may be able to see, via presence awareness, whether
`30 one of more additional users with whom he wishes to confer-
`ence are available, and may invite these users to the call either
`through similar means, or by passing information to those
`users about how to connect to a call. Optionally, and at the
`users discretion, the central server can also add a "silent" user
`which is a recording device, to the conference bridge, record
`the call, and at the conclusion of the call pass the recorded
`voice transcript back to the Instant Messaging Server for
`archiving purposes. Additionally, using the instant messaging
`interface and based upon the conference server capabilities,
`the call initiator may apply certain business rules to various
`participants in the call, such as muting or dropping that par(cid:173)
`ticipant from the call, archiving the participants telephone
`numbers, call duration, and call set-up parameters.
`
`FIGURES
`
`3
`up the call, through calling an operator and setting the
`call up, or setting up a static DNIS to which all users may
`dial on occasion.
`2. Host-initiated Calls-These calls involve the host origi(cid:173)
`nating calls to all of the participants. In order to accom(cid:173)
`plish this, the host must initiate the call one of two ways:
`a) either the host enters an ANI on his telephone and
`through pressing a combination of buttons has that party
`joined to the call, and repeats this process for each con(cid:173)
`ference call participant, or;
`b) the host types in the phone numbers of all the expected
`participants, either to a web site after which the web site
`will initiate a conference bridge and dial all the partici(cid:173)
`pants, or manually provides them to an operator who
`initiates the calls to the participants.
`These methods are inefficient, in that they require a con(cid:173)
`ference call requester or party to the conference call to manu(cid:173)
`ally inform either the parties to the conference call, or the
`conference bridge itself, of parameters, passwords, and phone
`numbers for the call.
`Instant messaging (hereafter "IM") systems employ a cli(cid:173)
`ent-server model on Internet protocol (hereafter "IP") net(cid:173)
`works to deliver text chat and other information to distributed
`users in real-time. Instant Messaging client software may be
`loaded onto a user's workstation or may be used in a web
`browser, and may allow a user to log into a remote Instant
`Messaging server. Once a user has logged in, business rules
`may be used to determine which other users are available to
`communicate with the first user in the instant messaging
`system. Many IM systems allow users to create lists of other
`users that they commonly communicate with. When a user in
`such a list logs into the IM system, the server informs the list
`owner that a user in their list has logged on and is available to
`chat. In addition, Instant Messaging systems provide direc(cid:173)
`tory services that permit the users to search for another user. 35
`Once a user has the address of a second user, the first user can
`request a collaborative chat session with the second user. The
`second user can choose to either accept or reject the chat
`session. After the session has been accepted, the users may be
`able to communicate in a private or public chat session by 40
`typing text messages to one another. The message can be
`either transmitted through a central server, or directly
`between users (peer to peer) once the first user has determined
`the availability of the second user from the IM system. These
`chat sessions may take place over an unsecured IP network. 45
`Further extensions of IM allow multiple participants to be
`involved in a chat session.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`The present invention may use a communications channel
`established through an instant messaging service to transmit
`a request to initiate a conference call from a network access
`device associated with a conference call requester to a con(cid:173)
`ference call server. The conference call server, upon receiving 55
`the request, may initiate the formation of a