IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,958,783
Granted Patent B2
US 8,958,783 · App. 13/136,253 · Granted Feb 17, 2015

System and method for short-range electronic communication

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,958,783
App. No.
13/136,253
Filed
Jul 26, 2011
Granted
Feb 17, 2015
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2641
USPC
455/416
Abstract

A system and method for transferring information over a short range are disclosed. The system and method can be used for a variety of applications, including administrative provisioning of information to particular users, providing information relating to a user during a conference call, handing off calls to or from another phone, for other application deployment, for pass of control, and similar applications. The system includes a first device capable of short-range communication and having a client application thereon and a second device capable of short-range communication and having a client or an administrator application thereon. Information is passed between the first device and the second device using short range communication.

Claims (14)

1. A method of communication on a conference call the method comprising the steps of:

establishing a conference call between at least one telephony device and a collaboration appliance, the collaboration device coupled to a short-range communication component;

placing a mobile device having short-range communication capabilities proximate the short-range communication component;

establishing a participant list comprising participant information regarding participants on the conference call, wherein at least participant information for a user of the mobile device is established on the list automatically using short-range communication;

disseminating the participant list via the collaboration appliance to participants on the conference call;

updating the participant list as participants join or leave the conference call;

transferring the call from the collaboration appliance to the mobile device; and optionally updating the participant list to inform the other participants of the transfer to the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of updating the user participant list using information transmitted using short-range communication.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of installing a client program on the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the collaboration appliance comprises one of a telephone or a computer.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the short-range communication is a distance of about two feet or less.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the short-range communication is a distance of about 4 cm or less.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of transferring a call between the mobile device and another device.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying a prompt on the mobile device to remain on the conference call or to end the call.