Telecommunications switch incorporating automatic conferencing service
US6038304A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 17, 1997 |
| Grant date | Mar 14, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 17, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04M2203/5063
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A switch for a telephony system in which an automatic conferencing service resides as a software module. To establish a conference call using the automatic conferencing service, an originating party dials a conference call access number. In response, the originating party receives a prompt tone indicating that phone numbers for a series of terminating parties for which participation in the conference call is desired. After entering a first phone number, the originating party selects an end of phone number delimiter. The originating party may then enter a next phone number or select an end of phone numbers entry delimiter. Upon detecting the end of phone numbers entry delimiter, the automatic conferencing service will send a call request for each of the terminating parties for which phone numbers were provided, initiate a countdown a time-out period and apply ringback to the telephone of the originating party. Upon receiving an answer from a first one of the terminating parties prior to expiration of the time-out period, ringback is discontinued and a call between the originating party and the first one of the terminating parties is completing. If additional ones of the terminating …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.