(19) United States
`(12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. N0.: US 2004/0141606 A1
`Torvinen
`(43) Pub. Date:
`Jul. 22, 2004
`
`US 20040141606A1
`
`(54) NETWORK-ORIGINATED GROUP CALL
`
`(52) US. Cl. ...................................................... .. 379/202.01
`
`(76) Inventor: Marko Torvinen, Espoo (Fl)
`
`Correspondence Address:
`WARE FRESSOLA VAN DER SLUYS &
`ADOLPHSON, LLP
`BRADFORD GREEN BUILDING 5
`755 MAIN STREET, P 0 BOX 224
`MONROE’ CT 06468 (Us)
`_
`(21) Appl' NO"
`(22) Filed,
`i
`
`10/348’662
`Jam 21 2003
`’
`Publication Classi?cation
`
`(51) Int. Cl.7 .................................................... .. H04M 3/42
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`A user of a terminal Wanting to establish a conference call
`notices for instance through a presence service that the
`group or one or more members of a group are not available
`and requests a group call server to keep track of the presence
`status of the members of the group and to originate a
`conference call once all of the members are present. Rules
`may be established to de?ne under What circumstances the
`call should be started and Which rules may include making
`the call When every member or a certain percentage of the
`group is available, hoW long the call attempt is effective, or
`the time the request is effective.
`
`1-10 1
`1
`\
`
`EERVER
`|
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`SERVICE I
`REQUES‘T : MEANS FOR PERIYODICIEIISLLIX;Y
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`Page 1 of 12
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`Jul. 22,2004 Sheet 1 of 6
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`Patent Application Publication Jul. 22, 2004 Sheet 2 0f 6
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`Page 3 of 12
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`

`Patent Application Publication Jul. 22, 2004 Sheet 5 0f 6
`
`US 2004/0141606 A1
`
`USER WANTS TO MAKE A J 5-10
`CALL TO A GROUP
`L
`‘4
`USER NOTICE THAT A
`GROUP IS NOT AVAILABLE
`+
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`USER DECIDES TO IMPOSE _
`NETWORK ORIGINATED L 546
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`PREDEFINED?
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`
`5-26
`
`1) MAKE A CALL WHEN
`EVERY MEMBER/CERTAIN
`PERCENTAGE OF THE
`GROUP IS AVAILABLE?
`2) HOW LONG CALL
`ATTEMPT IS EFFECTIVE?
`3) THE TIME THE REQUEST
`IS EFFECTIVE (e. g. FROM
`1200 TO 19:00)?
`
`,
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`REQUEST TO NOGC <_—J<__
`SERVICE HOST
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`5-22
`
`FIG. 5
`
`Page 6 of 12
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication Jul. 22, 2004 Sheet 6 0f 6
`
`US 2004/0141606 A1
`
`TERMINAL
`
`PRESENCE SERVER HAS BASICALLY
`TWO DIFFERENT OPTIONS:
`1) IT SENDS ALL THE PRESENCE
`
`— F F — " —l— T — — — " INFORMATION TO NOGC
`
`("10 1
`NOGC SERVICE RECEIVES A
`SERVICE REQUEST
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`PRESENCE CONDITION IS FULFILLED
`(e.g. ALL ARE AVAILABLE) BEFORE
`NOTIFICATION
`
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`REQUEST FOR A
`REQUESTED GROUP
`
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`THE CALL?
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`AND EFFICIENCY OF
`THE CALL REQUEST
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`
`Page 7 of 12
`
`

`

`US 2004/0141606 A1
`
`Jul. 22, 2004
`
`NETWORK-ORIGINATED GROUP CALL
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`[0001] 1. Technical Field
`
`[0002] The present invention relates to the ?eld of group
`calls in communication network.
`
`[0003] 2. Discussion of Related Art
`
`[0004] In order to establish a group telephone conference,
`it is usually necessary to pre-arrange a time of availability of
`all of the participants and to then proceed to establish a
`group call. In some cases, one or more of the pre-agreed
`participants are not available at the appointed time, and the
`telephone conference must be postponed and rescheduled.
`
`[0005] In some cases, it may be possible to initiate a group
`conference Without pre-arrangement simply by making an
`attempt to contact all of the participants on the “spur of the
`moment” and hoping that all are available. The likelihood of
`success of such attempt is not good and decreases as the
`number of participants increases.
`
`[0006] Even if the initiator could check the availability of
`the desired participants through a presence server, one or
`more might not be available, and the initiator Would have to
`try again later.
`
`[0007] As a result, it is someWhat cumbersome and dif?
`cult to utiliZe group conferencing, and it Would be desirable
`to make such a service easier to use.
`
`[0008] A conference call can be set up betWeen members
`of a chat group by a server connected to a communication
`system, With subscribers registered and already participating
`in a group chat session using teXt messages. The server in the
`communication system receives a teXt message of a sub
`scriber participating in the chat session and transmits it to
`other subscribers belonging to the group in question. In such
`a method, it is possible to move from message chatting to
`conference calling by one of the subscribers in the sub
`scriber group sending a pre-de?ned message to the server,
`Which message acts as a signal to the server to move to
`conference calling; the server sets up a conference call
`betWeen the subscribers registered as active in the subscriber
`group in response to receiving the pre-de?ned message. See
`International Publication No. WO 02/21816 A1. This meth
`odology requires that the group conference is set up after the
`desired members of the conference call are already present
`during a group chat With teXt messaging. It does not address
`the issue of What to do if there is no pre-eXisting group chat,
`and an initiator of a conference call knoWs, for instance
`through a presence server, that not all of the members of the
`desired group are available.
`
`DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
`
`[0009] An object of the present invention is to facilitate
`group voice conferencing.
`
`[0010] According to a ?rst aspect of the present invention,
`a conference calling method in Which members for partici
`pation in a group voice conference are predetermined and
`Where at least one member is not presently available for
`participation in the group voice conference, comprises the
`steps of periodically checking for availability of the mem
`
`bers on an automatic basis until the members are available,
`and establishing the group voice conference once the mem
`bers are available.
`
`[0011] Further according to the ?rst aspect of the inven
`tion, the members for participation in the group voice
`conference are predetermined by a user of a terminal pre
`determining the members and Wherein the user determines
`that the at least one member is not presently available from
`presence information about the members accessible at the
`terminal.
`
`[0012] Still further according to the ?rst aspect of the
`invention, the method comprises the step of the user sending
`a service request from the terminal to a server, Wherein the
`step of periodically checking for availability is carried out at
`the server Which also carries out the step of establishing the
`group voice conference once the members are available.
`
`[0013] Further still according to the ?rst aspect of the
`invention, the method comprises the step of the user entering
`a service request in the terminal for the terminal to carry out
`the step of periodically checking for availability of the
`members on an automatic basis until the members are
`available.
`
`[0014] Still further according to the ?rst aspect of the
`invention, the step of establishing the group voice confer
`ence is carried out by a server after receiving a request from
`the terminal once the members are available.
`
`[0015] Further still according to the ?rst aspect of the
`invention, the method comprises the step of alerting the user
`to the availability of the members and requesting a signal
`back from the user as to Whether to carry out the step of
`establishing the group voice conference.
`
`[0016] Still further according to the ?rst aspect of the
`invention, the method comprises the step of the server
`sending an alert signal to the terminal before carrying out the
`step of establishing the group voice conference requesting a
`con?rmation to proceed signal from the terminal to the
`server.
`
`[0017] Yet further still according to the ?rst aspect of the
`invention, the availability of the members is checked
`according to a rule.
`
`[0018] According to a second aspect of the invention, a
`terminal device capable of enabling a user to engage in voice
`communications With users of other terminals over a com
`munications netWork, comprises means, responsive to pres
`ence information about the users of other terminals from the
`netWork, for displaying same to the users, means for receiv
`ing inputs from the user into the terminal indicative of
`members selected by the user for participation in a group
`voice conference, and means for periodically checking for
`availability of the members on an automatic basis until the
`members are available and requesting a server to establish
`the group voice conference once the members are available,
`or sending a service request to the server to periodically
`check for the availability of the members on an automatic
`basis and to establish the group voice conference once the
`members are available.
`
`[0019] Further according to the second aspect of the
`invention, the availability of the members is checked
`according to a rule.
`
`Page 8 of 12
`
`

`

`US 2004/0141606 A1
`
`Jul. 22, 2004
`
`[0020] According to a third aspect of the invention, a
`server comprises means responsive to a service request from
`a terminal indicative of members for participation in a group
`voice conference, for periodically checking for availability
`of the members on an automatic basis until the members are
`available, and means for establishing the group voice con
`ference once the members are available.
`
`[0021] Further according to the third aspect of the inven
`tion, the availability of the members is checked according to
`a rule.
`
`[0022] According to a fourth aspect of the invention, a
`communications system comprises a server, responsive to a
`service request from a terminal, for periodically checking on
`an automatic basis for availability of members indicated by
`the service request for participation in a group voice con
`ference until the members are available, and for establishing
`the group voice conference once the members are available,
`and a plurality of terminals, accessible by the members, for
`use in participating in the group voice conference over a
`netWork.
`
`[0023] Further according to the fourth aspect of the inven
`tion, the availability of the members is checked according to
`a rule.
`
`[0024] According to a ?fth aspect of the invention, a
`computer program embodied in a computer-readable
`medium for storage in a physical device, is characteriZed in
`that the program is for enabling a presence user to interact
`With a presence system either directly or through a server for
`periodically checking on an automatic basis for availability
`of members indicted by a service request for participation in
`a group voice conference until the members are available.
`
`[0025] Further according to the ?fth aspect of the inven
`tion, the computer program is for storage in a terminal.
`
`[0026] Still further according to the ?fth aspect of the
`invention, the program is for storage in a server, Wherein the
`program is also for establishing the group voice conference
`once the members are available.
`
`[0027] Further still according to the ?fth aspect of the
`invention, the availability of the members is checked
`according to a rule.
`
`[0028] These and other objects, features and advantages of
`the present invention Will become more apparent in light of
`the folloWing detailed description of a best mode embodi
`ment thereof, as illustrated in the accompanying draWing.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
`
`[0029] FIG. 1 shoWs a system including a server and a
`plurality of terminals, according to the present invention.
`
`[0030] FIG. 2 shoWs a terminal, according to the present
`invention.
`
`[0031] FIG. 3 shoWs a service environment for a commu
`nication system, according to the present invention.
`
`[0032] FIG. 4 shoWs a basic usage scenario, according to
`the present invention.
`
`[0033] FIG. 5 shoWs a general ?oWchart for a terminal
`application, according to the present invention.
`
`[0034] FIG. 6 shoWs the general level ?oWchart for a
`netWork-originated group control server application/compo
`nent, according to the present invention.
`
`BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE
`INVENTION
`
`[0035] FIG. 1 shoWs a system 1-10 including a server
`1-12 and a plurality of terminals 1-14. The system 1-10 may
`also include a presence server (not shoWn in FIG. 1), Which
`may include a group management component. HoWever, the
`system of FIG. 1 does not include such a presence server,
`but merely avails itself of the services thereof. The server
`1-12 may incorporate the group management component
`and/or the presence server. The terminals 1-14 available for
`use in the system 1-10 are groupable into groups using the
`group management component of, for instance, the presence
`server. Such a grouping 1-16 of terminals is shoWn in FIG.
`1. They are grouped together in advance as a prede?ned
`group of by a user “on-the-?y” for the purpose of partici
`pation in a voice conference call. Each of the terminals may
`have one or more members (users) associated thereWith and
`may also have one or more client softWare routines associ
`ated thereWith. Multiple users may use a given client, or
`separate users may be associated With separate clients. In
`any event, it is possible, for instance, for a user of a voice
`(client) application in a given terminal to Want to make a
`conference call to a number of members of a group that is
`either pre-selected as a group or selected by the user ad hoc.
`The terminals of members of the group 1-16 may have
`presence information available to them from a presence
`server, similar to the presence server or the same as that used
`by the server 1-12. In that case, presence requests may be
`made on a line 1-20 to the presence server from various
`terminals of members of the group, and presence updates
`sent from the server on a line 1-22 to the terminals of
`members of the group. Of course, this does not eXclude other
`terminals in the system 1-14 from requesting and receiving
`presence information. All or some of these terminal devices
`are capable of enabling a user thereof to engage in voice
`communications With users of other terminals over a com
`munications netWork 1-26. If separate, the communications
`betWeen the system 1-10 and the presence server may also
`take place over this netWork, or some other netWork.
`
`[0036] A user of one of the terminals in the group 1-16
`may decide that a group telephone conference is desired, in
`Which the user is to initiate the conference and in Which
`other users of other terminals are to participate. As men
`tioned above, the user of the initiating terminal may select
`members of the group ad hoc or may select a group that has
`already been established for general or other purposes. The
`user of the initiating terminal may then notice that one or
`more members of the group is not presently available, for
`instance, according to presence information provided by the
`presence server. As shoWn in FIG. 2, a terminal 2-10 is
`shoWn receiving presence information on a line 2-12 from a
`presence server. This presence information is provided to
`means 2-14 for providing this presence information to a user
`of the terminal 2-10, e.g., by means of a display. Provision
`of the presence information to the user is shoWn by a line
`2-16. The user is then able to evaluate the presence infor
`mation and determine Whether or not the desired group call
`can or should be initiated. If so, the user can provide entries
`into, for instance, a keyboard or other means for receiving
`inputs from the user indicative of a desired conference call,
`
`Page 9 of 12
`
`

`

`US 2004/0141606 A1
`
`Jul. 22, 2004
`
`including for instance, group information. The entry of such
`inputs is shoWn on a line 2-20 into means 2-22 for receiving
`such inputs from the user. If, for example, the terminal 2-10
`itself has the ability to periodically check for future avail
`ability of presently-unavailable members of the group, the
`means 2-22 can provide a request signal on a line 2-26 to a
`means 2-28 for periodically checking such availability. The
`means 2-28 Will be responsive to the presence information
`provided on the line 2-12 in order to be in a position to check
`availability of selected members or groups, as indicated by
`the user on the line 2-20. In such a case the means 2-28 Will
`have the ability to make presence requests on a line similar
`to the line 1-20 of FIG. 1 to the presence server.
`
`[0037] Or, if the terminal 2-10 does not have the ability to
`automatically periodically check for availability of members
`or groups, the means 2-22 may instead provide a service
`request signal on a line 2-30 directly to the server 1-12 of
`FIG. 1. In that case, referring back to FIG. 1, the service
`request 2-30 is provided to means 1-28 for periodically
`checking for availability of members of the group selected
`to participate in the conference call. Such means 1-28 can
`provide presence requests on a line 1-30 to the presence
`server and receive updates on a line 1-32 from the presence
`server. Once the members are available, the means 1-28
`provides a conference request signal on a line 1-40 to means
`1-50 for establishing a group voice conference.
`
`[0038] If, on the other hand, the terminal 2-10 of FIG. 2
`is the entity that periodically checks for availability of
`members of the group, the conference request Will instead
`come from the means 2-28 of the terminal, as indicated by
`a request signal on a dashed line 2-32 Which, as also shoWn
`in FIG. 1, is provided directly to the means 1-50 for
`establishing a group voice conference. In that case, the
`server 1-12 may not have the means 1-28 available, since the
`functionality can be carried in the terminal 2-10 itself.
`
`[0039] Once the means 1-50 for establishing a group voice
`conference receives a service request either on the line 1-40
`from the means 1-28 or on the line 2-32 from the terminal,
`it proceeds to establish a group voice conference betWeen
`the members of the group Who are noW all present, or
`betWeen members Who together meet some other criteria or
`rule concerning the group. This can be preceded by an
`indication to the members, including the initiating member,
`that the conference is to commence and the identity of the
`initiating member. It can also indicate the members of the
`group, or the group itself.
`
`[0040] FIG. 3 shoWs an embodiment of the invention
`carried out in a mobile communications service environ
`ment. A server 3-12 is shoWn similar to the server 1-12 of
`FIG. 1, able to carry out communications over a signal line
`3-14 With a presence server 3-16, Which may include the
`group management component mentioned above. It Will, of
`course, be evident to one of skill in the art that both the
`server 3-12 and the server 3-16 may be combined into a
`single server 3-18, Which may be vieWed as a uni?ed server.
`On the other hand, the servers may remain separate, and the
`server 3-12 may instead host the group management ser
`vices. The realiZation of presence management is shoWn in
`International Publication No. WO 02/073461 A1. Manage
`ment of group functions is shoWn there as Well.
`
`[0041] According to the present invention, a user of a
`mobile terminal 3-20 ?rst notices that a group she Wanted to
`
`call Was not present. In other Words, the user has used the
`presence services of the presence server 3-16 to receive
`presence status of a group or members of a group over a
`signal line 3-22, Which may be routed through a mobile
`netWork along With signals from the server 3-12. The
`de?ned group 3-24 is shoWn in FIG. 3 as comprising four
`other users of mobile terminals, although they could be or
`could include other kinds of terminals as Well. These ter
`minals are also in communication With both the group call
`server 3-12 and the presence server 3-16 on signal lines 3-26
`and 3-28, respectively.
`
`[0042] Once the user has noticed that the group she
`Wanted to call Was not present, she may send a noti?cation
`on a signal line 3-30 to the server 3-12, Which provides a
`netWork-originated group call service, according to the
`present invention. The user of the terminal 3-20 may Wish to
`specify call characteristics in addition to notifying the server
`that she Wants to start a call When the group is available
`agam.
`
`[0043] The server hosting the group management services
`and also the netWork-originated group call service Will then
`be in communications over the line 3-14, along With the
`presence server 3-16 to keep track of the terminals in the
`de?ned group 3-24. When the group becomes available
`again, or some group criteria are met, the server hosting the
`group management service Will make a call to the Whole
`group (originator included) With a noti?cation of Who is the
`originator of the call on lines 3-32 and 3-26.
`
`[0044] Abasic usage scenario is shoWn in FIG. 4, Where
`a user at terminal 4-20 receives presence information on a
`line 4-22 from a presence server 4-16. In a ?rst step, the user
`of the terminal 4-20 notices that a group to Which she Wants
`to make a call is not present. She then decides to ask a
`netWork-originated group call service host 4-12 to provide a
`group call service. First, she sends an authentication signal
`on a line 4-40 to the service host 4-12, folloWed by a service
`request on a line 4-42. Optionally, the user can send call
`characteristics, or default characteristics may be used (if not
`included in the service request) and a group de?nition if not
`already established. If optional call characteristics or group
`de?nitions need to be established, the group call service host
`4-12 may need to consult a group management component
`4-50, Which may or may not be included Within the group
`call service host 4-12 or the presence server. FIG. 4 shoWs
`the group component separately. Therefore, the group call
`service host 4-12 is shoWn providing a group resolving
`request on a signal line 4-52 to the group component 4-50 in
`order to obtain information on the members of a group
`merely identi?ed as a group by the terminal 4-20. The group
`component 4-50 then sends group information back to the
`group call service host 4-12, as shoWn on a line 4-54.
`
`[0045] The group call service host 4-12 then sends a
`request to the presence server 4-16 on a line 4-60 to place a
`request for noti?cation When the group is available. The
`presence server 4-16 then receives a constant How of pres
`ence data updates on signal lines, such as a signal line 4-70
`from call request group function 4-72. Once the presence
`server 4-16 ascertains that all of the members of the group
`are noW present, it noti?es the group call service host 4-12
`by a signal on a line 4-74, indicating to the netWork
`originated group call service host 4-12 that the de?ned
`condition is ful?lled. The group call service host 4-12 then
`
`Page 10 of 12
`
`

`

`US 2004/0141606 A1
`
`Jul. 22, 2004
`
`checks to see if other group call characteristics are ful?lled
`and, if so, it originates a call on behalf of the original
`requestor at terminal 4-20. This is shoWn by a signal line
`4-80 extending from the terminal 4-20 through the group
`call service host 4-12 to the call request group 4-72. Once
`the call is completed, the group call service host can then
`originate a billing function, as signi?ed by a signal on a line
`4-90.
`
`[0046] FIG. 5 shoWs a general level ?oWchart for a
`methodology that may be carried out in the terminal of FIG.
`2 using the functional blocks shoWn therein. The steps of
`FIG. 5 may be coded in softWare and stored in a memory
`Within the terminal 2-10 of FIG. 2 for execution on a general
`or special purpose signal processor. Thus, the user of the
`terminal 2-10 of FIG. 2 or the terminal 3-20 of FIG. 3
`decides that he or she Wants to make a call to a group, as
`shoWn in a step 5-10. This may be based on already-received
`information from a presence server 3-16 or the user may
`request such presence information from the presence server
`after deciding he or she Wants to make a call to a group in
`the step 5-10. The ?oWchart of FIG. 5 shoWs the informa
`tion from the presence server being provided on a line 5-12
`after the step 5-10, but it should be realiZed that the
`information may have been received by the terminal prior to
`execution of step 5-10. From the presence information
`provided by the presence server, the user then notices that
`the group is not available, as shoWn in a step 5-14. This may
`mean that the presence server merely indicates that the
`group is not available in its totality, Without indicating Which
`member or members are absent, or it may involve the user
`noticing that particular members of the group are not avail
`able, depending on the nature of the information provided
`from the presence server.
`
`[0047] A step 5-16 is then carried out, Wherein the user
`decides to impose a netWork-originated group call (NOGC).
`This decision may be accompanied by the de?nition of rules
`for starting the call. In other Words, the terminal 3-20 or 4-20
`may present the user With the option of de?ning such rules
`once the user indicates to the terminal that he or she Wishes
`to send a service request, such as the service request 3-30 of
`FIG. 3 or the service request 4-42 of FIG. 4. If no rules are
`to be de?ned, a default con?guration can be utiliZed, as
`indicated in a step 5-20, and the service request is sent to the
`NOGC service host directly, as indicated in a step 5-22.
`
`[0048] If the step 5-18 determines that rules are to be
`de?ned for starting a call, another decision is then made, as
`shoWn in a step 5-24 to ?nd out if such rules are prede?ned
`or not. If so, the service request is sent directly in the step
`5-22. If not, the user can make selections presented to him
`or her by the terminal in order to choose What kind of rules
`to use. Such rules may include, but are not limited to, those
`shoWn in the ?gures, ie (1) making a call When every
`member/certain percentage of the group is available, (2) hoW
`long call attempt is effective, (3) the time the request is
`effective (e.g., from 12:00 to 19:00), etc. Once the user
`de?nes the rules, the service request is sent in the step 5-22
`to the NOGC service host.
`
`[0049] Turning noW to FIG. 6, a general level ?oWchart
`for the NOGC server application/component is shoWn. The
`terminal 3-20 or 4-20 sends a service request, such as the
`service request shoWn in the step 5-22 of FIG. 5, the request
`4-42 of FIG. 4, or the request 3-30 of FIG. 3 to the NOGC
`
`server, Which is shoWn in FIG. 6 receiving such a service
`request in a step 6-10. Astep 6-12 is then carried out to send
`a presence status request for a requested group, such as the
`request on the line 4-52 of FIG. 4. As shoWn in FIG. 6, the
`presence server has basically tWo different options: (1) it
`sends all the presence information to the requesting NOGC
`so that the requesting NOGC is constantly updated With
`individualiZed presence information and it decides itself
`When the conditions are met; or (2) it Waits until a de?ned
`presence condition is ful?lled (e.g., all are available) before
`noti?cation back to the NOGC. This is shoWn in FIG. 6 as
`tWo possibilities. A ?rst possibility is shoWn on a signal line
`6-16, Wherein the ?rst option, i.e., constant updating, is
`utiliZed, and a decision is made in the NOGC as to Whether
`the presence condition is ful?lled or not, as shoWn in a
`decision step 6-18. The second alternative is shoWn on a line
`6-20, Wherein there is a one-time noti?cation from the
`presence server 6-14 to the NOGC that the presence condi
`tion is ful?lled (expecting an acknoWledgement back from
`the NOGC). In any event, a decision block 6-30 is shoWn
`being carried out to determine if the timing and ef?ciency of
`the call request has been ful?lled. If so, a call is originated
`as shoWn in a step 6-32, and appropriate billing takes place
`at the appropriate time, as shoWn in a step 6-34. If the timing
`and ef?ciency are not ful?lled, as determined in the step
`6-30, a decision is made as to Whether or not to postpone the
`call in a step 6-32. If so, a Wait step 6-38 is executed before
`originating a call in step 6-32. The nature of the Wait step can
`vary depending on design choice. One choice Would be to
`simply return to step 6-18 or 6-30 after a predetermined
`timeout.
`
`[0050] If it is determined in the step 6-36 not to postpone
`the call, the request from the user to establish the conference
`call is discarded, as shoWn in a step 6-40, and the requester
`is noti?ed, as shoWn in a step 6-42.
`[0051] Although the invention has been shoWn and
`described With respect to a best mode embodiment thereof,
`it should be understood by those skilled in the art that the
`foregoing and various other changes, omissions and addi
`tions in the form and detail thereof may be made therein
`Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
`
`1. Conference calling method in Which members for
`participation in a group voice conferenc