US9270474B2 - Endpoint initiation of multipart conferences - Google Patents

Endpoint initiation of multipart conferences Download PDF

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Publication number
US9270474B2
US9270474B2 US11/675,966 US67596607A US9270474B2 US 9270474 B2 US9270474 B2 US 9270474B2 US 67596607 A US67596607 A US 67596607A US 9270474 B2 US9270474 B2 US 9270474B2
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Prior art keywords
mcu
conference
resources
multimedia terminal
call
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US11/675,966
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US20070223674A1 (en
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Odd Arild Skaflestad
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Cisco Technology Inc
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Cisco Technology Inc
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L12/00—Data switching networks
    • H04L12/02—Details
    • H04L12/16—Arrangements for providing special services to substations
    • H04L12/18—Arrangements for providing special services to substations for broadcast or conference, e.g. multicast
    • H04L12/1813—Arrangements for providing special services to substations for broadcast or conference, e.g. multicast for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms
    • H04L12/1818—Conference organisation arrangements, e.g. handling schedules, setting up parameters needed by nodes to attend a conference, booking network resources, notifying involved parties
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M3/00—Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
    • H04M3/42—Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers
    • H04M3/56—Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities
    • H04M3/567—Multimedia conference systems
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M2203/00—Aspects of automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
    • H04M2203/50—Aspects of automatic or semi-automatic exchanges related to audio conference
    • H04M2203/5054—Meet-me conference, i.e. participants dial-in
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M3/00—Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
    • H04M3/38—Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections
    • H04M3/382—Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections using authorisation codes or passwords
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M3/00—Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
    • H04M3/42—Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers
    • H04M3/56—Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a method for ad hoc endpoint initiation of a multipart conference.
  • Video endpoints do have integrated MCU features. These are typically meeting room applications, and more expensive conferencing systems. There are also a set of conferencing bridges that enables video multi point conferencing. Both these solutions (Meeting Rooms, Conferencing Bridges) do require conference setup actions, prior to every meeting. This is typically to book a room, schedule the meeting in an administration interface, distribute information, notifying the conference number etc), which typically is done through a user interface of a Management System. This may make the process of hosting a multipoint conferencing event a time consuming task, and the threshold for using this technology to high.
  • the present invention provides a method for establishing a conference between two or more multimedia terminals through a Multipoint Control Unit (MCU), comprising at least the steps of pre-assigning and storing in the MCU one or more conference numbers respectively associated with a user or a multimedia terminal, when a primary multimedia terminal initiates a first call by dialing a first conference number among said one or more conference numbers, then routing said call to the MCU, when the MCU receives said first call, then allocating primary MCU resources and establishing the multipart conference including said primary multimedia terminal, and when a secondary multimedia terminal initiates a succeeding call by dialing said first conference number, then routing said succeeding call to the MCU, allocating secondary resources and including said secondary multimedia terminal in the multipart conference.
  • MCU Multipoint Control Unit
  • FIG. 1 is an illustration of video conferencing endpoints connected to an MCU
  • the main idea of the present invention is to utilize central video processing resources, in for example an MCU, to offer multipoint capabilities available for all users, without demanding setup schemes, booking and education of users.
  • a number of users can be registered in an MCU, every registered user is then assigned a unique and personal static number in the MCU. This number is assigned to a person, and not a video system, making a multipoint call available at all times, from any kind of system. All personal numbers are stored in the MCU after being registered.
  • the user may be allocated number for multiple protocols, so the personal multipoint call may serve as a protocol gateway as well (SIP, ISDN, H323).
  • the personal conference number allows multiple user to have an own and unique conference number.
  • the personal conference number is static, and can be compared to any other personal number such as cellular phone number, pager number etc. This makes this number easy distributable.
  • the number of personal Conference number assigned can be much larger than the required capacity if all numbers personal conference numbers where in use simultaneously. This is due to the conventional traffic theory of the relationship between the number of potential users and the expected value of the number of simultaneous users.
  • the call When a user calls his/her personal conference number, the call will be routed to the MCU where the number is stored. This is accomplished by e.g. giving all personal conference numbers belonging to a certain MCU a common prefix number.
  • the MCU recognizes the number as a personal conference number, and is thereby pre-instructed to automatically set up a multipart call. In the first phase, this means that an encoder resource is set aside for the conference, but the personal conference number could also be associated with pre-settings e.g. defining that a certain amount of resources (e.g. encoders/decoders) should be booked and bit rates should be set as the call from the first participant is received at the MCU.
  • a certain amount of resources e.g. encoders/decoders
  • a decoder resource for both the participants is allocated (if not already allocated) and a call between the two participants are established through the MCU in a conventional way.
  • the same is the case for the next incoming calls using the number, but in this case also to establish required functionalities for a conference including more than two participants, such as Continuous Presence and Voice Switching.
  • the resources are consecutively released as the participants leave the conference, and when the last participant is leaving, the conference is shut down, and the personal conference number is ready for new conferences.
  • the present invention is further exemplified in the following. As already indicated, the idea is to utilize the video conferencing capacity from a central conferencing bridge, developed for connecting multiple video endpoints into video conferences. The implementation will also utilize a number range available on the video conferencing bridge. In addition to the embodiment of the present invention described above, an alternative implementation of the present invention may also support a single number dial in.
  • This allocation is implemented to be fully automated, and the conferencing users do not need to do any kind of conference setup and management.
  • one common access point on the MCU must be configured.
  • a participant dials into this number he is allowed to both create a personal pin code, and have a conference created, or to provide a given pin code to access an already created conference.
  • the conference is not created yet, the user is placed in a “waiting room” which is a hold state providing graphical information to the user allowing for DTMF inputs, until the correct conference, with the correct pin code is created. From the “waiting room”, the user may disconnect, try to re-dial the pin code or create an own conference at any time.
  • the management for achieving this must be done by the video bridge administrator, setting up a number available for single number dial in, and by the conference host, distributing the conference pin codes.
  • the administrator makes the number MEET-8000 as the configured single number dial in number.
  • User A would like to host a conference with two other participants, User B and User C.
  • User A sends an e-mail to User B and User C, saying: “Please dial into my conference. It will be hosted 10.00 am, the number is MEET-8000, and the pin code is 1976”.
  • User C dials ‘MEET-8000’ at 09.55 am. He will be asked weather to create- or access a conference. User C chooses to access an already created conference, and provides the given pin code. Since User A has not yet started the conference, User C is told to wait until the conference is created. User C is placed in a waiting room.
  • User A dials ‘MEET-8000’, and chose to create a conference, at 09.58 am. User A is asked to provide a pin code for the conference, and User A enters ‘1976’. A conference is started dynamically. User C will now also dynamically be collected from the waiting room into the conference.
  • the idea of the concept is to use the potential number range on a conferencing bridge, to enable endpoints to automatically setup and connect to a multipart conferencing. This is facilitated by using simple interfaces as one system wide number, or a personal conference number.
  • the main advantage of the present invention is the increased availability of multipart conferencing, without the need of management, booking and administration.
  • simple endpoints may easily spawn a multipoint conference on the conferencing bridge, by dialing into a known number.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Multimedia (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
  • Telephonic Communication Services (AREA)
  • Two-Way Televisions, Distribution Of Moving Picture Or The Like (AREA)
  • Data Exchanges In Wide-Area Networks (AREA)
US11/675,966 2006-02-22 2007-02-16 Endpoint initiation of multipart conferences Active 2032-12-23 US9270474B2 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
NO20060861A NO325250B1 (no) 2006-02-22 2006-02-22 Endepunktsinitiering av flerpartskonferanser
NO20060861 2006-02-22

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US20070223674A1 US20070223674A1 (en) 2007-09-27
US9270474B2 true US9270474B2 (en) 2016-02-23

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US (1) US9270474B2 (no)
NO (1) NO325250B1 (no)
WO (1) WO2007097629A2 (no)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20150029937A1 (en) * 2013-07-26 2015-01-29 Hideki Tamura Communication management system, communication terminal, communication system, and recording medium

Families Citing this family (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN101577734B (zh) 2009-06-08 2012-09-05 中兴通讯股份有限公司 采用h.323协议栈实现大容量呼叫的方法及系统
EP2885910A4 (en) * 2012-08-20 2016-04-20 Mobileday Inc AUTOMATED CONFERENCE SYSTEM AND METHOD
US9131112B1 (en) * 2014-09-29 2015-09-08 Edifire LLC Dynamic signaling and resource allocation in secure media-based conferencing
CN106331579A (zh) * 2015-07-02 2017-01-11 三亚中兴软件有限责任公司 多媒体会议的接入方法、装置、系统和多点控制单元
CN108965772A (zh) * 2017-05-23 2018-12-07 中兴通讯股份有限公司 视讯会议实现方法及服务器、计算机可读存储介质

Citations (12)

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WO1998057485A2 (en) 1997-06-11 1998-12-17 Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson Method for establishing multipoint conferences
US6272214B1 (en) * 1997-11-24 2001-08-07 Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (Publ) Automatic control of participation in telemeetings
US20020159394A1 (en) 2000-03-01 2002-10-31 Eran Decker System and method for providing reservationless conferencing
US20040114031A1 (en) 2002-10-25 2004-06-17 Roundy Larry Lee Method and apparatus for simultaneous incoming digital call processing using ISDN bonding channels
US20040137887A1 (en) 2002-08-28 2004-07-15 Aki Niemi Conferencing system
EP1517506A2 (en) 2003-09-19 2005-03-23 Polycom, Inc. Method and system for improving establishing of a multimedia session
US20050277409A1 (en) 2004-06-14 2005-12-15 Nokia Corporation Processing of event information in a communication device
US20060171337A1 (en) * 2005-01-28 2006-08-03 Cisco Technology, Inc. Method and system for reserving facility resources for a conference
US20060233120A1 (en) * 2005-04-19 2006-10-19 Polycom Inc. Multi-site conferencing system and method
US20070126858A1 (en) * 2004-10-12 2007-06-07 Codian Ltd. Method and apparatus for controlling a conference call
US20080013706A1 (en) * 2006-01-06 2008-01-17 International Business Machines Corporation Personalized conference call system and method
US8296361B1 (en) * 2004-01-08 2012-10-23 Cisco Technology, Inc. Method and system for managing conference resources

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US7672255B2 (en) * 2004-04-05 2010-03-02 Oomble, Inc. Mobile instant messaging conferencing method and system

Patent Citations (13)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1998057485A2 (en) 1997-06-11 1998-12-17 Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson Method for establishing multipoint conferences
US6272214B1 (en) * 1997-11-24 2001-08-07 Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (Publ) Automatic control of participation in telemeetings
US20080069012A1 (en) * 2000-03-01 2008-03-20 Eran Decker System and method for providing reservationless conferencing
US20020159394A1 (en) 2000-03-01 2002-10-31 Eran Decker System and method for providing reservationless conferencing
US20040137887A1 (en) 2002-08-28 2004-07-15 Aki Niemi Conferencing system
US20040114031A1 (en) 2002-10-25 2004-06-17 Roundy Larry Lee Method and apparatus for simultaneous incoming digital call processing using ISDN bonding channels
EP1517506A2 (en) 2003-09-19 2005-03-23 Polycom, Inc. Method and system for improving establishing of a multimedia session
US8296361B1 (en) * 2004-01-08 2012-10-23 Cisco Technology, Inc. Method and system for managing conference resources
US20050277409A1 (en) 2004-06-14 2005-12-15 Nokia Corporation Processing of event information in a communication device
US20070126858A1 (en) * 2004-10-12 2007-06-07 Codian Ltd. Method and apparatus for controlling a conference call
US20060171337A1 (en) * 2005-01-28 2006-08-03 Cisco Technology, Inc. Method and system for reserving facility resources for a conference
US20060233120A1 (en) * 2005-04-19 2006-10-19 Polycom Inc. Multi-site conferencing system and method
US20080013706A1 (en) * 2006-01-06 2008-01-17 International Business Machines Corporation Personalized conference call system and method

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20150029937A1 (en) * 2013-07-26 2015-01-29 Hideki Tamura Communication management system, communication terminal, communication system, and recording medium
US9609274B2 (en) * 2013-07-26 2017-03-28 Ricoh Company, Ltd. Communication management system, communication terminal, communication system, and recording medium

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
NO325250B1 (no) 2008-03-10
WO2007097629A3 (en) 2007-10-11
WO2007097629A2 (en) 2007-08-30
NO20060861L (no) 2007-08-23
US20070223674A1 (en) 2007-09-27

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