IP Library Granted Patent US 8,369,247
Granted Patent B2
US 8,369,247 · App. 12/449,241 · Granted Feb 5, 2013

Method and system for facilitating multi-point communications

Inventor: Colin I'Anson (Ottery St Mary Devon, GB)
Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,369,247
App. No.
12/449,241
Granted
Feb 5, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

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.

Claims (37)

1. A conferencing system for facilitating a conference call between a plurality of terminal devices, the conference system comprising:

a conference server to

receive a scheduling request for the conference call, wherein the scheduling request includes a predetermined time for the conference call and contact information of the plurality of terminal devices;

at the predetermined time of the conference call, transmit a notification message to the plurality of terminal devices to invite participation in the conference call;

establish the conference call with each terminal device accepting the invitation; and

detect if a terminal device, for which the conference call was established, is disconnected from the conference call and re-connect the disconnected terminal device to the conference call,

wherein the notification message transmitted to the plurality of terminal devices further includes a software application to enable the plurality of terminal devices to call the conference server and connect to the conference call.

2. A conference system according to claim 1 , wherein, to re-connect the disconnected terminal device to the conference call, the conference server is to transmit a set of instructions to enable a user of the disconnected terminal device to selectively re-connect the disconnected terminal device to the conference call.

3. A conference system according to claim 1 , the software application further enables the terminal devices to re-connect to the conference call.

4. A conference system according to claim 1 , wherein the conference server is to store information relating to proposed participants of the conference call.

5. A conference system according to claim 1 , wherein the conference server is to store security information relating to verification details required for a connection to the conference call to be established, and to communicate the security information to the plurality of terminal devices.

6. A conference system according to claim 5 , wherein the conference server is to utilize the security information to re-connect the disconnected terminal device.

7. A conference system according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of terminal devices comprises anyone of a mobile telephone, a POTS-type telephone, a personal computer and a video conferencing device.

8. A conference system according to claim 1 , wherein the conference server is further to detect if the disconnected terminal device is involuntarily disconnected from the conference call.

9. A method for facilitating a conference call using a conference system comprising a plurality of terminal devices and a conference server, the method comprising:

receiving, by the conference server, a scheduling request for the conference call, wherein the scheduling request includes a predetermined time for the conference call and contact information of the plurality of terminal devices;

at the predetermined time of the conference call, transmitting, by the conference server, a notification message to the plurality of terminal devices to invite participation in the conference call; and

establishing the conference call with each terminal device accepting the invitation,

wherein the notification message further includes a software application to enable the plurality of terminal devices to call the conference server and connect to the conference call.

10. A method according to claim 9 , further comprising:

detecting if a terminal device, for which the conference call was established, is disconnected from the conference call; and

transmitting a set of instructions to the disconnected terminal device to provide a user of the disconnected terminal device with an option of reconnecting the disconnected terminal device to the conference call.

11. A method according to claim 9 , further comprising:

storing schedule information relating to the predetermined time for establishing the conference call.

12. A method according to claim 9 , wherein the software application further enables the terminal devices to re-connect to the conference call.

13. A method according to claim 9 , further comprising:

storing security information relating to verification details required for a connection to the conference call to be established;

communicating the security information to the plurality of terminal devices.

14. A method according to claim 9 , wherein the plurality of terminal devices comprises anyone of a mobile telephone, a POTS-type telephone, a personal computer and a video conferencing device.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer readable instructions which when executed cause a conference server to facilitate a conference call between a plurality of terminal devices, the computer readable instructions comprising machine readable code to:

receive, by the conference server, a scheduling request for the conference call, wherein the scheduling request includes a redetermined time for the conference call and contact information of the plurality of terminal devices;

at the predetermined time of the conference call, transmit, by the conference server, a notification message to the plurality of terminal devices to invite participation in the conference call; and

establish the conference call with each terminal device accepting the invitation,

wherein the notification message further includes a software application to enable the plurality of terminal devices to call the conference server and connect to the conference call.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein machine readable code to re-connect the at least one terminal device to the conference call includes machine readable code to:

transmit a set of instructions to the disconnected terminal device to enable a user of the disconnected terminal device to selectively re-connect the disconnected terminal device to the conference call.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the software application further enables the terminal devices to re-connect to the conference call.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 17, 2024
From: HEWLETT PACKARD ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT LP
To: HCL TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
Reel/Frame 069715/0743 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 9, 2015
From: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
To: HEWLETT PACKARD ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT LP
Reel/Frame 037079/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 30, 2009
From: I'ANSON, COLIN
To: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
Reel/Frame 023050/0014 →
Priority Claims (1)
GB 0701736.1 · Jan 31, 2007 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20100027775A1 · Feb 4, 2010