(12) United States Patent
`Turner
`
`(10) Patent N0.:
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`US 8,571,194 B2
`*Oct. 29, 2013
`
`US008571194B2
`
`SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INITIATING A
`CONFERENCE CALL
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`(54)
`
`(75)
`
`(73)
`
`Inventor: Tod C. Turner, Kenmore, WA (US)
`
`Assignee: LinqWare, Inc., Kenmore, WA (US)
`
`(*)
`
`Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
`This patent is subject to a terminal dis
`claimer.
`
`(21)
`
`(22)
`
`(65)
`
`(63)
`
`(60)
`
`(51)
`
`(52)
`
`(58)
`
`Appl. N0.: 12/907,550
`
`Filed:
`
`Oct. 19, 2010
`
`Prior Publication Data
`
`US 2011/0033035 A1
`
`Feb. 10, 2011
`
`Related US. Application Data
`
`Continuation of application No. 12/723,750, ?led on
`Mar. 15, 2010, noW Pat. No. 7,853,000, Which is a
`continuation of application No. 11/019,655, ?led on
`Dec. 22, 2004, noW Pat. No. 7,804,948.
`
`Provisional application No. 60/531,722, ?led on Dec.
`22, 2003.
`
`(2006.01)
`(2006.01)
`(2006.01)
`
`Int. Cl.
`H04M 3/56
`H04L 12/18
`G06F 15/16
`US. Cl.
`USPC ..... .. 379/204.01; 370/261; 455/416; 709/204
`Field of Classi?cation Search
`USPC ............................... .. 370/260, 261, 262, 264;
`379/202.01*206.01; 455/416, 466;
`709/204, 205, 206, 207
`See application ?le for complete search history.
`
`5,995,608 A 11/1999 Detampel, Jr. et a1.
`6,181,786 B1
`1/2001 Detampel, Jr. et a1.
`6,188,683 B1
`2/2001 Lang et a1.
`6,584,185 B1
`6/2003 Nixon
`6,584,505 B1
`6/2003 Howard et a1.
`6,650,735 B2 11/2003 Burton et a1.
`6,651,251 B1
`11/2003 Shoffet a1.
`6,674,767 B1
`1/2004 Kadyk et a1.
`6,856,809 B2
`2/2005 Fostick
`7,085,258 B2
`8/2006 Creamer et a1.
`7,472,352 B2 12/2008 Liversidge et a1.
`7,804,948 B2 *
`9/2010 Turner ................... .. 379/20401
`7,853,000 B2 * 12/2010 Turner ................... .. 379/20401
`2002/0071539 A1
`6/2002 Diament et a1.
`2002/0071540 A1
`6/2002 Dworkin
`2002/0078150 A1
`6/2002 Thompson et a1.
`2002/0118809 A1
`8/2002 Eisenberg
`2002/0122391 A1
`9/2002 Shalit
`2003/0105820 A1
`6/2003 Haims et a1.
`2003/0126207 A1 *
`7/2003 Creamer et a1. ............ .. 709/204
`2003/0185369 A1 10/2003 Oliver et a1.
`2004/0013254 A1* 1/2004 Hamberg et a1. ...... .. 379/202.01
`2005/0094579 A1* 5/2005 Acharya et a1. ............. .. 370/260
`2005/0187781 A1
`8/2005 Christensen
`2006/0088152 A1
`4/2006 Green et a1.
`
`* cited by examiner
`
`Primary Examiner * Harry Hong
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm * CoZen O’Connor
`(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.
`16 Claims, 18 Drawing Sheets
`
`Telephone Networks
`
`11
`
`Cellular Network
`Salellrle Network
`
`p408
`
`User D
`
`Phone
`
`Phone
`
`Conference Request Processor
`
`402
`
`41 4
`
`Account, User,
`History. Provider
`Database
`
`IM Communlwiions Processor
`
`Shared Application Smion Server
`
`7
`
`>
`
`Conference Call Bndge Provrder A
`
`Conference Call Bridge Provider B
`
`406
`
`412
`
`410a
`
`41011
`
`GOOGLE EXHIBIT 1001
`
`Page 1 of 26
`
`

`

`US. Patent
`
`Oct. 29, 2013
`
`Sheet 1 0f 18
`
`US 8,571,194 B2
`
`Provide
`Conference Call
`Server
`
`ti
`Provide NAD
`to Cali
`Requester
`
`11
`Call Requester
`Generates Conf.
`Cali Request
`
`it
`Transmit
`Conf. Request
`Message
`
`102 /
`
`104
`
`106
`
`108
`
`ii
`
`Conf. Request
`Message Received
`
`110
`.f
`
`112 f
`
`114 /
`
`V
`Conf. Request
`Message
`Parsed
`
`it
`Initiate
`Conference
`Call
`
`FIG. 1
`
`Page 2 of 26
`
`

`

`US. Patent
`
`0a. 29, 2013
`
`Sheet 2 0f 18
`
`US 8,571,194 B2
`
`NetworkPortal
`establishes connection
`nn'th IM server to
`determine presence of
`potential conference
`attendees tar eis
`( 9 i
`
`Does Hosiwant to
`invite to instant
`"1939599
`No
`
`usermay
`
`Targetis
`not on line
`
`‘
`‘MC t
`0“ a“
`Us‘
`.
`y
`Pfevlous
`Conference
`Participants \ LikeiyANl‘s areeetabttshedior each
`Email Contacts / target
`List
`V
`Saved
`Additionat targets are manually added
`Conference
`to list
`Setups
`
`202
`btth
`rkP tV
`7 N
`etwo
`ortaesta see text
`message with 1 or more other targets
`V
`Targetsaresenttnvttatlonto
`conference call via text messenger
`
`204
`
`it
`208
`List ofTargets tobeptaced on call
`are sent via Text Messaging to f
`Conference Catt Creator Software
`ii
`21 0
`Conference Catt Creator Sottware
`establishes Conference Bridge f
`with Service Provider
`
`it
`Conference Bridge Software pieces f21 2
`Inbound call to each Target
`
`FIG. 2
`
`Page 3 of 26
`
`

`

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`Oct. 29, 2013
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`US 8,571,194 B2
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`U.S. Patent
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`Oct. 29, 2013
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`Sheet 5 of 18
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`US 8,571,194 B2
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`Oct. 29, 2013
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`0a. 29, 2013
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`Sheet 7 0f 18
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`US 8,571,194 B2
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`U.S. Patent
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`Oct. 29, 2013
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`Sheet 8 of 18
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`U.S. Patent
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`0a. 29, 2013
`Oct. 29, 2013
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`Sheet 10 0f 18
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`US 8,571,194 B2
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`

`

`US. Patent
`
`Oct. 29, 2013
`
`Sheet 18 0f 18
`
`US 8,571,194 B2
`
`1502
`
`53; \ \g \ R
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`CCR Accesses
`NAD
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`CCS
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`Identify Potential
`Targets
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`Display Potential
`Targets to CCR
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`V
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`Generate
`Conference Call
`Request
`
`I
`
`Transmit
`Conference Call
`Request to 008
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`V
`Establish
`Conference Call
`Bridge
`
`FIG. 15
`
`Page 19 of 26
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`

`

`US 8,571,194 B2
`
`1
`SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INITIATING A
`CONFERENCE CALL
`
`RELATED APPLICATIONS
`
`This application is a continuation of US. patent applica
`tion Ser. No. 12/723,350 (now US. Pat. No. 7,853,000), ?led
`Mar. 15, 2010, Which is a continuation of US. patent appli
`cation Ser. No. 11/019,655 (now US. Pat. No. 7,804,948),
`?led Dec. 22, 2004, Which claims the bene?t of US. Provi
`sional Patent Application No. 60/531,722, ?led Dec. 22,
`2003, all of Which are hereby incorporated by reference in
`their entireties.
`
`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
`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,
`including telephone conferences, video conferences, and
`more recently through on-line meetings.
`As traf?c congestion groWs in every part of the country, and
`softWare tools improve, companies WorldWide are recogniZ
`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% of voicemail, 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
`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
`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
`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
`signi?cantly 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
`2005, and is expected to add 20 million users to its ranks in the
`next several years.
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`2
`In a recent Deloitte Consulting survey of 300 of the Fortune
`1000, collaboration Was top priority With 75% of respon
`dents. While less than 30% Were using some form of collabo
`rative tools today, 80% of respondents said they Would imple
`ment some collaboration capability by 2005. According to a
`recentYankee Group survey, companies Will save $223B 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
`lion, to provide softWare for on-line meetings. PlaceWare has
`been renamed 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
`meetings are conducted on-line. Microsoft Will spend over
`$300 million this year promoting Live Meeting, and joins
`IBM With its Lotus Sametime product, WebEx, and another 3
`doZen smaller competitors.
`The commonality of all of the collaboration products is that
`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
`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
`time, WebEx, 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
`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
`ucts into softWare has centered on integration With the PBX.
`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
`n1ty.
`Furthermore, most PBX systems can only join a feW users
`in a conference call. They cannot 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
`enter a passcode, it is dif?cult 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
`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
`number is blocked. Furthermore, even if the identity of par
`ticipants Were disclosed to a call originator during a confer
`ence call, such information could be a distraction during the
`conference call.
`Conference calls today fall into 2 categories:
`1. “Meet Me” callsiThese conference calls involve all
`users of the call dialing, via a publicly sWitched tele
`phone netWork (hereafter “PSTN”), cellular telephone,
`
`Page 20 of 26
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`

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`US 8,571,194 B2
`
`3
`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
`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 CallsiThese calls involve the host origi-
`nating calls to all of the participants. In order to accom-
`plish this, the host must initiate the call one oftwo ways:
`a) either the ho st enters an ANI on his telephone and
`through pressing a combination ofbuttons has that party
`joined to the call, and repeats this process for each con-
`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-
`pants, or manually provides them to an operator who
`initiates the calls to the participants.
`These methods are ineflicient, in that they require a con-
`ference call requester or party to the conference call to manu-
`ally inform either the parties to the conference call, or the
`conference bridge itself, ofparameters, passwords, and phone
`numbers for the call.
`
`Instant messaging (hereafter “IM”) systems employ a cli-
`ent-server model on Internet protocol (hereafter “IP”) net-
`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-
`tory services that permit the users to search for another user.
`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
`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 unsecurele network.
`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-
`ference call server. The conference call server, upon receiving
`the request, may initiate the formation of a conference bridge
`a conference call between the conference call requester and
`one or more call participants.
`In a first embodiment, the present invention may be embod-
`ied in a method for initiating a conference call, including the
`steps of providing a conference call server; providing a con-
`ference call requester with a network accessible device com-
`
`4
`
`municable with an instant messaging service; generating a
`conference call request by the conference call requester;
`transmitting the call request from the call requester to the
`conference call server; receiving the call request at the con-
`ference call server; parsing the conference call request to
`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-
`ponent of an instant messaging system to determine whether
`prospective attendees are available for a conference call
`through this presence with the instant messaging service, then
`using stored information that includes an address for a party,
`either through an IM channel or at a specific phone number or
`VOW address, create the ability for instant messaging users to
`immediately create any combination of PSTN, Cellular, and
`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
`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
`bridge, initiate a series of outbound calls to each of the
`selected users from the instant messaging session, and seam-
`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
`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-
`ticipant from the call, archiving the participants telephone
`numbers, call duration, and call set-up parameters.
`
`FIGURES
`
`FIG. 1 shows a flowchart of the initiation of a conference
`
`call according to the present invention.
`FIG. 2 shows a more comprehensive illustrative flowchart
`of the initiation of a conference call according to the present
`invention.
`FIG. 3 shows a notional flowchart of the initiation of a
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`conference call according to the present invention, in an envi-
`ronment in which each prospective caller has access to a
`network access device.
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`FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram of a system for accom-
`plishing the initiation of conference calls according to the
`present invention.
`FIG. 5 illustrates a notional network access device display
`through which a conference call may be initiated.
`FIG. 6 shows a notional network access device display
`through which conference call targets may be selected.
`
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`US 8,571,194 B2
`
`5
`FIG. 7 shows a notional network access device display
`identifying parameters associated with a potential target for a
`conference call initiated according to the present invention.
`FIG. 8 shows a notional network access device display
`identifying targets previously involved in conference calls
`who are potentially available for a conference call, including
`identification of an availability status for each target where
`such potential target has an ongoing presence with the instant
`messaging service.
`FIG. 9 shows a notional network access device display
`identifying targets previously involved in conference calls
`who are potentially available for a conference call, filtered to
`display potential targets having access to application sharing
`capabilities.
`FIG. 10 shows a notional network access device display
`identifying targets previously involved in conference calls
`who are potentially available for a conference call, filtered to
`display only potential targets for which an e-mail client con-
`tact information is available.
`
`FIG. 11 shows a notional network access device display
`allowing retrieval of parameters associated with a previous
`conference call.
`
`FIG. 12 shows an alternate system and process for initiat-
`ing conference calls according to the present invention.
`FIG. 13 shows a notional network access device display for
`displaying conference call management parameters to a con-
`ference call requester.
`FIG. 14 shows a notional network access device display for
`displaying conference call management parameters associ-
`ated with a particular conference call.
`FIG. 15 shows an alternate process for initiating confer-
`ence calls according to the present invention.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION
`
`The following definitions are provided to more readily
`describe the present invention, and are not intended to limit
`the scope of the claims:
`Access Authorization is the means by which a connection
`and/or request for service is authenticated to permit a party to
`access a service. There are many ways to authenticate a user,
`including, but not limited to, sign on ID’s and passwords,
`digital signatures, electronic keycards, and biometric devices.
`A NetworkAccess Device (hereafter “NAD”) is any device
`capable of communicating over a network to one or more
`other Network Access Devices using a common protocol.
`Such NADs can include but are not limited to computers,
`servers, workstations, Internet appliances, terminals, hosts,
`personal digital assistants (hereafter “PDAs”), and digital
`cellular telephones.
`Encryption is the transformation of data into a form that
`cannot be read or understood without the use of a decryption
`algorithm. The purpose of encryption is to minimize the abil-
`ity of third parties (who are not desired to participate in a
`conference call) to understand the contents of a message.
`Decryption is the reverse of encryption; it is the transfor-
`mation of encrypted data back into a readable form.
`AddressiThis is the identifier for where a participant to a
`conference call may be contacted, and may be, but is not
`limited to, a PSTN or cellular phone number, such as anANI,
`or a unique identifier associated with a voice over Internet
`protocol communications path.
`ANliAutomatic Number IdentifieriThis is the direct
`
`phone number of a call participant, and is typically the num-
`ber at which a person may be directly dialed.
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`Conference Bridgeiswitching circuitry used to intercon-
`nect two or more communications paths connected to partici-
`pants to allow simultaneous conversations between the par-
`ticipants.
`Conference CalliA communication between two or more
`
`parties who are disparately located, using a connection allow-
`ing the transmission of audible, verbal, or visual data, or a
`combination thereof, including videoconferencing in which
`participants are visible to other participants as well as able to
`verbally communicate with each other.
`PSTNiThe voice networks are referred to as a publicly
`switched telephone network (PSTN) and its related services.
`VOIPiVoice over Internet Protocol
`
`As shown in FIG. 1, the core of the present invention is the
`use of instant messaging to trigger initiation of a host initiated
`conference call. The first step is providing 102 a conference
`call server. The conference call server may be connected to a
`network, such as an Internet protocol based network. The
`conference call server may have the ability to receive instant
`messenger messages requesting initiation of a conference
`call. The conference call server may have one or more ports
`for connecting participants, such as by a VOIP path, or
`through a telephonic network. Connection of two or more
`paths allows the formation of a conference bridge. Alter-
`nately, the conference server may have stored information
`identifying one or more conference bridges discrete from the
`conference server, such as conference bridge capabilities pro-
`vided by one or more third party vendors.
`Next, a first party, hereafter referred to as the conference
`call requester, may be provided 104 with a network access
`device (hereafter “NAD”). The NAD may be connected to a
`network to which a conference call server is connected, as
`well as to an instant messaging service adapted to communi-
`cate a conference call request to the conference call server. In
`particular, the instant messaging service may be adapted to
`communicate a request that a conference call be initiated,
`potentially including parameters associ