IES79056B2

IES79056B2 - A teleconferencing system

Info

Publication number: IES79056B2
Authority: IE
Inventors: Eamon Daniel Troy; Gerard Patrick Moore
Original assignee: Spectel Res Ltd
Priority date: 1997-12-22
Filing date: 1997-12-22
Publication date: 1998-04-08
Also published as: IES980201A2; GB9806564D0; GB2332811B; IES970916A2; IE980202A1; IES80396B2; GB2332811A

Abstract

A teleconferencing system (1) has a switch server (4) connected to a digital switch (2). The switch server (4) is in a network (5) having a number of workstations (6), a database server (7), a conference manager (8), and a booking controller (9). The switch server (4) and the database server (7) operate in server mode and the workstations (6) and the conference manager (8) operate in dual client mode to both of the servers. The booking controller (9) acts in single client mode only with respect to the database server (7). The workstations (6) operate to establish conferences and to monitor status in real time. Control activity records (20) govern control links to individual conferees, and conference connection states are maintained in a table (30).

Description

“A Teleconferencing System” * The invention relates to a teleconferencing system, sometimes alternatively referred to as an audio conferencing system. » As everybody is aware, the increasing globalisation of commerce is creating everincreasing requirements for communication between people at remote sites in a more comprehensive manner than is allowed by one-to-one telephone, fax, or electronic mail communication. It is for this reason that many advances have been made in teleconferencing systems.

In recent years, many of the technical advances which have been made have concentrated on the provision of images, sometimes to the extent of live video image data communication between remote sites to simulate the environment of a conference room as close as possible. For example, developments in this area are described in US5594859, US5594495, US5557330, US5546324, GB2282506, and US5157491.

Handling of image data creates the problem of providing sufficient bandwidth and processing capacity, and therefore many of the developments which have been made in teleconferencing systems to provide live video images have addressed these problems.

The solutions to these problems often involve use of expensive hardware and relatively high communication costs. Further, it appears that functionality of the teleconferencing system is limited by the image data processing requirements.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a teleconferencing system which provides a wide range of functions which assist in monitoring and control of conferences to the benefit of the conferees. Such functions include, for example, access control security, broadcast facilities, integrated announcements, record/playback, remote diagnostics, polling, question and answer facilities, messaging, and booking and I -2scheduling functions. It is an object of the invention to provide a teleconferencing system with a wide range of functions such as the above, but at a relatively low cost.

According to the invention, there is provided a teleconferencing system comprising:a digital switch connected to a switch server; a network connected to the switch server and comprising workstations operable in client mode with respect to the switch server; an audio link between the switch and each workstation; means in the switch server for passing control signals from the workstation to the switch; a database server in the network with respect to which each workstation is operable in client mode, the database server comprising means for controlling access of the workstations to conferee data; and means in each workstation for capturing conferee connection status data and generating a graphical display indicating conference progress, and for dynamically maintaining status of conference connections and of a control link to the switch.

In one embodiment, each workstation comprises means for maintaining control activity records for the control link.

Preferably, each workstation comprises means for maintaining current, transient, and required records for the control link. -3In another embodiment, each record has one of a plurality of states. Preferably, the states are idle, intercept, and conference, and preferably the server comprises means for exclusively updating the current record.

In one embodiment, each workstation comprises means for exclusively updating the required record and for automatically transmitting a request signal to the server when updating the required record.

Preferably, the server comprises means for exclusively updating the transient record.

In another embodiment, the database server comprises means for storing a booking record for each conferee to participate in a booked conference, and means for allowing exclusive access by individual workstations to records to allow multiple workstation operation for a single conference.

In one embodiment, the system further comprises a conference manager configured to operate in client mode with respect to both the switch server and the database server, the conference manager comprising means for determining when a booked conference is due and for signalling the switch server of this fact.

Preferably, the conference manager comprises means for retrieving a booking identifier from the database server and for transmitting the booking identifier to the switch server.

Ideally, the switch server comprises means for transmitting the booking identifier to a plurality of workstations to activate the workstations to establish a conference.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description of some embodiments thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-4Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of a teleconferencing system of the invention; Fig. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating operation of the system; Fig. 3 is a sample screen display, and Figs. 4 and 5 are tables showing the manner in which control and monitoring activity is implemented.

Referring to Fig. 1, there is shown a teleconferencing system 1 of the invention. The system 1 comprises a digital switch 2 connected to digital trunks 3. The trunks handle conferee connections when taking part in a conference. The switch 2 is connected to a switch server 4, which is in turn connected to a local area network 5 having workstations 6, the purpose of each being to monitor and control conferences. This is achieved by using control activity records 20 and a conference connection state table 30. These are described in more detail below.

In more detail, the trunks 3 are ISDN trunks, the switch 2 comprising a cabinet housing the required communication circuits. The server 4 is configured to operate in client/server mode whereby workstations connected in the network 5 are clients. Both the server 4 and the workstations 6 access a database server 7 connected to a database 8 which stores data including configuration files, activity logs etc. The network 5 also includes a conference manager 8.

The client/server methodology is used for interworking of the devices of the network 5. Both the switch server 4 and the database server 7 operate in server mode. The workstations 6 and the conference manager 8 are clients to both servers, and the booking controller is a client to only the database server 7. -5In operation, calls enter the system 1 over the two Mbit ISDN links 3, each link being 32 compressed PCM coded channels. Two of these channels are used by the ISDN protocol, thus leaving thirty channels available for calls. Each two Mbit link is serviced by a single primary rate interface (PRI) card, each shelf being fitted with a number of PRIs. A shelf fitted with three PRIs provides 90 channels. A dedicated PRI is fitted in the shelf to interface with the digital messaging system, not shown, connected in the network 5. This allows for up to thirty simultaneous messaging channels which can be used for any combination of message playback and conference recording/playback.

Calls arriving at the PRI are passed to a switch matrix in a CPU circuit. This circuit is in direct communication (via RS 232) with the switch server 4. The server 4 routes the call to the correct conference. Should a PIN be required, the server 4 instructs the CPU to make a connection from the caller’s line to the messaging channel and instructs the messaging controller to play a message (on that channel) requesting a PIN code. On receiving the correct PIN code the server 4 instructs the CPU to release the caller into the conference.

Conferences are handled by a conference (CNF) circuit. Each CNF has thirty-two channels, allowing up to thirty-two callers per circuit and ten conference bridges allowing for up to ten conferences per circuit. Conferences can be linked across two or more CNFs where the resources available on the first circuit are insufficient to allow the next conference to exist solely on that circuit. In this case, the switch server 4 instructs the CPU to link bridges from one CNF to another. This necessarily ties up a bridge on each CNF for each conference link in addition to bridges used by the conferences themselves. It does however allow the system to maximise the number of channels available to callers.

Referring now to Figs. 2 to 5, operation of the system 1 is now described. A flow chart illustrating the main steps for establishing a conference and a general on-going monitoring and control is indicated by the numeral 40 in Fig. 2. In step 41, the booking -6controller 9 makes a conference reservation with the database server 7. This reservation includes a set of booking records, there being one record for each conferee. This record includes dialling information, name, address, and any other required information for the conference. The database server 7 assigns a booking identifier (BID) to this booking.

Also operating in client mode, the conference manager 8 monitors booking start times with respect to real time. When the conference manager 8 detects an impending conference start time, in step 42 it transmits a signal to the switch server 4 to activate the conference. The BID is included with this signal. In step 43, the switch server 4 informs some or all of the workstations 6 and transmits to them a conference identifier (CID) together with the BID. This causes each of the receiving workstations 6 to participate in establishing the conference which has been booked.

In step 45, each of the workstations 6 gains client-mode access to the database server 7 to seek a lock for a particular conferee record. As indicated by the decision step 46, if the lock is not granted, in step 47 the requesting workstation 6 increments to the next conferee on the booked conferee list and step 45 is repeated for that conferee. If, however, the database server 7 grants the record lock, in step 48 it broadcasts a signal to all of the participating workstations 6 to indicate this lock. This information is of benefit to the workstations in processing the list, although as indicated by the steps 46 and 47, communication delays may cause a request to be made when the record is already locked.

For each lock which is granted, each workstation 6 establishes via the switch server 4 and the switch 2 a conference connection for the relevant conferee. This is performed using information which is retrieved from the conferee record, the latter being supplied by the database server 7 after the lock has been put in place. Thus, each workstation 6 only receives the conferee data for the connections which it itself can establish.

After all of the connections have been established, a workstation 6 performs on-going control and monitoring of the conference which has been established. -7It will be noted that because the workstation 6 and the conference manager 8 have dual client-mode operation with respect to both the switch server 4 and the database server 7, the various processing devices in the network 5 are able to work in a synchronised and efficient manner with centralised storage of data. Also, because of the manner in which the conferee records are controlled by the database server 7, network traffic is minimised.

It is not essential that a conference be established arising from a booking as described above. For example, a conference may be established by a conferee acting as a moderator who links with a messaging device (not shown) on the network 5 to establish the connections. Such activity is monitored by a workstation 6.

For on-going conference monitoring and control, the operator at a workstation is presented with a screen 60 as shown in Fig. 3. The upper toolbar displays various icons in the following order from left to right:conferee is in conference, - the conferee is mute whereby he or she can listen but not participate, - the conferee is on hold, - a button to allow the operator to highlight all conferees in the active conference to allow the operator perform an action with respect to all conferees, - dial out function, intercept function, -8- roam function, reorganise screen function, and - delete conferee function.

As is clear from Fig. 3, the workstation actively monitors the status of each conferee’s connection, there being one row per connection. The icon allows immediate identification of the connection status. A mouse and cursor are used to select a particular conferee, which is then highlighted. As shown in Fig. 3, conferee 15 is highlighted. Once a particular conferee is highlighted, the operator can use the upper toolbar to change the status to a status such as to mute or hold. The dial out function allows the operator to connect with a conferee. Where the intercept function is activated, the conferee is placed into direct communication with the operator and temporarily out of the conference. Having intercepted a conferee, the operator “presses” one of the three leftmost icons to cause the selected conferee to enter into conference in the manner specified. The roam function allows the operator to listen to a sample of each conference presently active. The delete caller function automatically terminates the connection of the particular conferee.

Referring now to Figs. 4 and 5, the manner in which this functionality is achieved is now described. Each workstation maintains three control activity records, namely current, transient and required records. Each record may have one of the three states, namely idle, intercept, and conference. As illustrated, in Fig. 1, the current record is maintained by the switch server 4 and the workstation 6 does not have the facility to update this record. However, the workstation 6 has the facility to update the required record, such updating causing a request signal to be transmitted to the server 4 to request a state for an operator connection. The transient record is also maintained by the server 4. -9An example is shown in Fig. 4 whereby at time t); the operator link is in conference as indicated by the current record. If the operator inputs a signal to the workstation 6 requesting a change to intercept, the required record is given intercept status at time tj.

Updating the required record to intercept status causes a request to be transmitted to the switch server 4. In response, the server 4 changes the status of the transient record to intercept (at time t2), and the status of the current record to idle. This is because it is not possible to directly transfer from conference status to intercept status. Subsequently, at time t3, the transient record remains at intercept status and the current record is changed to intercept status also.

Referring now to Fig. 5, the manner in which each workstation 6 monitors status of the various conferee connections is illustrated. There are n connections and the status include conference, intercept, muted, hold, bell, messaging, moderator, moderator intercept, and dialling.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments described, but may be varied in construction and detail within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A teleconferencing system comprising:5 a digital switch connected to a switch server; a network connected to the switch server and comprising workstations operable in client mode with respect to the switch server; 10 an audio link between the switch and each workstation; means in the switch server for passing control signals from the workstation to the switch; 15 a database server in the network with respect to which each workstation is operable in client mode, the database server comprising means for controlling access of the workstations to conferee data; and means in each workstation for capturing conferee connection status data 20 and generating a graphical display indicating conference progress, and for dynamically maintaining status of conference connections and of a control link to the switch.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each workstation comprises means for 25 maintaining control activity records for the control link, and wherein each workstation comprises means for maintaining current, transient, and required v records for the control link, and wherein each record has one of a plurality of states, and wherein the states are idle, intercept, and conference, and wherein the ' server comprises means for exclusively updating the current record, and wherein 30 the workstation comprises means for exclusively updating the required record and -11 for automatically transmitting a request signal to the server when updating the required record, and wherein the server comprises means for exclusively updating the transient record. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the database server comprises means for storing a booking record for each conferee to participate in a booked conference, and means for allowing exclusive access by individual workstations to records to allow multiple workstation operation for a single conference, and wherein the system further comprises a conference manager configured to operate in client mode with respect to both the switch server and the database server, the conference manager comprising means for determining when a booked conference is due and for signalling the switch server of this fact, and wherein the conference manager comprises means for retrieving a booking identifier from the database server and for transmitting the booking identifier to the switch server. A system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the switch server comprises means for transmitting the booking identifier to a plurality of workstations to activate the workstations to establish a conference. A system substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.