System and method for initiating a conference call
View Patent ↗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.
1. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing computer instructions configured to operate with electronic computer hardware to perform the following steps:
display, in an instant messaging (IM) chat window of a first party, an exchange of IM messages between the first party and at least one other party, the first party and the at least one other party being current participants to an IM session;
display for the first party an indication of whether the at least one other party is communicably connected to the IM session;
display for the first party an option to automatically initiate voice communication between the current participants of the IM session without requiring individual selection of potential members including the first party and the at least one other party and without requiring registration with a conference call server for establishing the voice communication by the potential members including the first party and the at least one other party; and
request, in response to selection of the option, voice communication between the first party and the at least one other party;
wherein in response to the request, the voice communication is established between the first party and those of the at least one other party.
2. The instructions of claim 1 , wherein the at least one other party comprises at least two parties.
3. The instructions of claim 1 , said display an option comprising display of a click-on icon that allows for a single step selection of the option.
4. The instructions of claim 1 , wherein said display an exchange of IM and said display for the first party comprise display within a common browser or application window.
5. The instructions of claim 1 , wherein the voice communication includes audio and video.
6. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing computer instructions configured to operate with electronic computer hardware to establish voice communication between a first party and at least one other party who are current participants of an IM session, comprising the following steps:
display for the first party an indication of whether the at least one other party is communicably connected to the IM session;
display for the first party an option to automatically initiate voice communication between the current participants of the IM session without requiring individual selection of and registration with a conference call server for establishing the voice communication by potential members including the first party and the at least one other party; and
request, in response to selection of the option, voice communication between the first party and the at least one other party;
wherein in response to the request, the voice communication is established between the first party and those of the at least one other party.
7. The instructions of claim 6 , wherein the at least one other party comprises at least two parties.
8. The instructions of claim 6 , said display an option comprising display of a click-on icon that allows for a single step selection of the option.
9. The instructions of claim 6 , wherein said display an exchange of IM and said display for the first party comprise display within a common browser or application window.
10. The instructions of claim 6 , wherein the voice communication includes audio and video.
11. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing computer instructions configured to operate with electronic computer hardware to establish voice communication between a first party and at least one other party who have an IM presence and are exchanging text communications, comprising the following steps:
display for the first party an indication of whether the at least one other party is communicably connected to the IM session;
display for the first party an option to automatically initiate voice communication between current participant of the text communication exchange without requiring individual selection of and registration with a conference call server for establishing the voice communication by potential members including the first party and the at least one other party; and
request, in response to selection of the option, voice communication between the first party and the at least one other party;
wherein in response to the request, the voice communication is established between the first party and those of the at least one other party.
12. The instructions of claim 11 , wherein the at least one other party comprises at least two parties.
13. The instructions of claim 11 , said display an option comprising display of a click-on icon that allows for a single step selection of the option.
14. The instructions of claim 11 , wherein said display an exchange of IM and said display for the first party comprise display within a common browser or application window.
15. The instructions of claim 11 , wherein the voice communication includes audio and video.
16. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing computer instructions configured to operate with an electronic hardware computer server to perform the following steps:
exchange IM messages between a first party and at least one other party, the first party and the at least one other party being current participants to an IM session;
send to the first party an indication of whether the at least one other party is communicably connected to the IM session;
receive a request from the first party to establish voice communication amongst current participants of the IM session without requiring registration with a conference call server for establishing the voice communication by potential members including the first party and the at least one other party, the request lacking a specific identification of the at least one other party;
determine, after reception of the request, the at least one other party from information associated with the IM session;
wherein after determining the at least one party, the voice communication is established between the first party and those of the at least one other party.