WO1995035621A1

WO1995035621A1 - Telephone connection method, particularly for conference calls and the like

Info

Publication number: WO1995035621A1
Application number: PCT/EP1995/002366
Authority: WO
Inventors: Giacomino Bucchi
Original assignee: Giacomino Bucchi
Priority date: 1994-06-21
Filing date: 1995-06-19
Publication date: 1995-12-28
Also published as: ITMI941305A0; IT1271189B; AU2885595A; ITMI941305A1

Abstract

A method for telephone connection, particularly for conference calls and the like, comprising the following steps; assigning a numeral to a plurality of conference calls; receiving a telephone connection from at least one user; informing the user as to the avaible conferences; receiving from the user the conference number selected by the user; connecting the user to the selected conference. The user, after entering the conference, can furthermore select another conference by virtue of signals generated by his telephone set.

Description

TELEPHONE CONNECTION METHOD, PARTICULARLY FOR CONFERENCE CALLS AND THE LIKE Technical Field

The present invention relates to a method for telephone connection, particularly for conference calls and the like. Background Art

It is known that there are various telephone systems that allow a telephone user to talk over the telephone with one or more users in a telematic "room". The linking of one or more users in a virtual room, who can thus communicate freely with one another, is better known as a conference phone call. Currently there are systems capable of offering a plurality of different conferences ("rooms") within the same system. In this manner, the telephone user can call the. telephone number of a conference call system and be informed by the operator as to the possible conferences that he can join. The availability of the conferences is often limited by the maximum number of participants. Furthermore, apart from the limited number of participants, known systems can be devised so that certain conferences, where a conference leader is present, are in listen-only mode. Some systems can be linked in series, so as to better use the listening potential.

If a user who is already part of a conference call decides to change conference and choose another one, so as to communicate with other users, he must exit the conference and ask the operator to be connected to a different conference. In this case, the operator must find the first active conference having an available slot.

These systems have the drawback that the operator must deal, for certain time periods, with the users who wish to change conference. Furthermore, in systems that can receive connections of a large number of users there is more than one operator who must control conference availability. In this manner two different operators might try simultaneously to add a new user to a conference where a single slot is available. Of course, the operator who has failed to place his user in the selected conference because the user of the other operator got there first must contact his user again and list once more the available conferences.

It is furthermore obvious that these known systems require an amount of personnel that is proportional to the number of users. Disclosure of the Invention

Accordingly, a principal aim of the present invention is to provide a method for telephone connection, particularly for conference calls and the like, and the system for performing it, that reduces operator assistance with respect to known systems.

Within the scope of the above aim, an object of the present invention is to provide a method that is more efficient than known systems, as far as the time required for user selection and/or reselection of conferences is concerned.

Another object of the present invention is to provide the user with a greater degree of independence than known systems. Another object of the present invention is to provide a method and the system for performing it that are highly reliable, relatively easy to provide, and at competitive costs. This aim, these objects, and others which will become apparent hereinafter are achieved by a method for telephone connection, particularly for conference calls and the like, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: assigning a numeral to a plurality of conference calls; receiving a telephone connection from at least one user; informing said user as to the available conferences; receiving from said user the conference number selected by said user; connecting said user to said selected conference. Brief description of the drawings Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the system for performing the method for telephone connection, particularly for conference calls and the like, according to the invention, illustrated only by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawing, wherein: the only figure is a block diagram of the device for performing the method, according to the present invention. Ways of carrying out the Invention With reference to the only figure, the reference numeral 1 designates the device for performing the method according to the present invention. The system comprises a central control unit 2. Said unit 2 advantageously comprises a microprocessor 4 associated with selection means 3. A second control unit 5 is connected to the same line, and its operation is identical to that of the first unit 2. The second control unit 5 is used during maintenance periods or if the first control unit 2 malfunctions. Since the operation of the second unit 5 is always parallel and identical to the operation of the first unit 2, said second unit is capable of ensuring continuous operation of the system. The second control unit 5, like the first control unit 2, comprises a second microprocessor 6 associated with second selection means 7.

The microprocessors 4 and 6 of the control units 2 and 5 are connected to a plurality of functional means by a first line 8. The functional means are advantageously constituted by one or more function cards for computers or the like. The line 8 furthermore constitutes the connection to a telephone exchange B.

Two amplifier means 18 and 19 are furthermore arranged on the line 8; the first means 18 are the primary ones, whereas the second amplifier means 19 are the emergency ones, when the first means 18 are undergoing maintenance or are malfunctioning. Said amplifier means 18 and 19, advantageously constituted by electronic boards, are adapted to level the telephone signals of the users included in the conference.

The first functional means are the ISDN communication means 9, adapted to interface the system with an ISDN network, over which it is possible to transmit video signals. The second functional means are the voice signal recognition means 10 , adapted to recognize voice signals that represent conference numeral s ( for example " one " , "seven" , "nine" , etcetera ) and key words ( for example "stop" ) . The third f unctional means are the means f or recognizing multiple-frequency signals 11 or DTMF (Dual Tone Multi Frequency) recognition means . Said means are adapted to recognize the multiple-frequency signals entered by users that have a telephone set enabled for multiple-frequency tone signalling.

The fourth functional means are the pulse signal recognition means 12, adapted to recognize pulse signals entered by users who have sets enabled for this type of telephone communication. The fifth functional means are the conference connection means 13, adapted to connect one or more users in a conference.

The recognition means 10, 11, and 12 are capable of recognizing the conference number selected by the user and of reporting it to the control units 2 and 5. The microprocessor of each one of the units 2 and 5 is then capable of routing the call to the desired conference by virtue of the conference connection means 13.

The selection means 3 and 7 of the control units 2 and 5 are adapted to select the reception of data from the functional means transmitted over a second line 14.

Interfacing means 15 are also arranged on said line 14; they are likewise advantageously constituted by a function board and adapted to interface the system with the line protocols. Automatic reply means 16, adapted to automatically reply to user calls, are furthermore optionally connected to the second line 14.

Finally, supervisor means 17, advantageously constituted by a PC (personal computer), are connected to the control units 2 and 5. Said supervisor means 17 are adapted to monitor the conferences in progress and to optionally interact in any step thereof, including the setting of one or more users to listen-only mode. The operation of the system according to the present invention is as follows.

Initially, the supervisor means 17 assign a specific numeral to each conference. A user, designated by the letter A, calls the system by telephone and is connected to the interfacing means 15 or to the automatic reply means 16. If he is connected to the automatic reply means 16, the user A hears a welcome message informing him as to which conferences are available. If instead the user A is directly connected to the interfacing means 15, the operator welcomes said user A and informs him as to the available conferences.

After the user A has been welcomed and has been informed as to the available conferences, he chooses the numeral of the desired conference by means of the keypad of his telephone set or says the numeral of the selected conference.

The method also includes the possibility of "jumping" randomly to another conference, where a slot is available, by pressing a key or a conditional code. If the user who has entered the system does not select the conference to join, he is routed automatically to the first active conference where a slot is available.

According to the manner in which the user A has selected the conference, the corresponding recognition functional means are activated. For example, if the conference has been selected by means of a pulse telephone set, the pulse signal recognition means 12 reply and send the selected numeral to the control units 2 and 5. If instead the numeral of the conference has been selected by means of a dual tone multi-frequency telephone set, the dual tone multi-frequency recognition means 11 reply and send the numeral of the conference to the control units 2 and 5. Finally, if the numeral cf the conference has been selected vocally, the voice signal recognition means 10 reply and send the numeral of the selected conference to the control units 2 and 5.

If the selected conference is full, that is to say, if the number of participants of the selected conference has reached the maximum value, the user cannot join it and is warned either by the operator or by the automatic reply means 16 that he must choose another conference because the one selected initially is full. In this case, the user A must select another conference.

If a slot is available in the selected conference, the control units 2 and 5 include the user in the selected conference by virtue of the conference connecting means 13.

At any time, if the user A wishes to do so, he can change conference at will. According to the manner in which he selects the new conference (with pulses, DTMF, or voice commands), the corresponding recognition means 10, 11, and 12 reply and inform the control units 2 and 5 that they must transfer the user A to the new selected conference. In the case of voice-operated selection, since the numerals might be used during a normal conversation, it is necessary to first exit the conference by saying a key word, such as for example "stop"; after this, the user A can select, by voice command, the desired new conference. Since entry of the user A occurs by electronic control, the simultaneous assignment of two users to a same slot in a single conference is always avoided.

Furthermore, since the users themselves choose the new conferences that they wish to join, the personnel working at the system is minimized.

The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the inventive concept.

Thus, for example, by virtue of the ISDN recognition means 9 it is possible to have conferences with two or more users equipped with video acquisition and reception means.

Finally, all the details may be replaced with other technically equivalent ones. in practice, the materials employed, as well as the shapes and the dimensions, may be any according to the requirements without thereby abandoning the scope of the protection of the appended claims.

Claims

1. Method for telephone connection, particularly for conference calls and the like, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: assigning a numeral to a plurality of conference calls; receiving a telephone connection from at least one user; informing said user as to the available conferences; receiving from said user the conference number selected by said user; connecting said user to said selected conference.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that a maximum number of participants is assigned to each one of said conferences.

3. Method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that before connecting said user to said selected conference, the availability of said selected conference in terms of available slots is checked.

4. Method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said reception of the selected conference numeral occurs by virtue of pulse signals.

5 . Method according to one or more of the preceding claims , characterized in that said reception of the selected conference numeral occurs by virtue of dual tone multi-frequency signals .

6. Method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said reception of the selected conference numeral occurs by virtue of voice signals.

7. Method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the user is informed as to the available conferences by means of an operator.

8. Method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the user is informed as to the available conferences by virtue of automatic reply means.

9. Method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said user, once he has entered said conference, can select another conference by virtue of signals generated by his telephone set.

10. Method according to claim 9, characterized in that said signals are pulse signals.

11. Method according to claim 9, characterized in that said signals are dual tone multi-frequency signals.

12. Method according to claim 9, characterized in that said signals are voice signals.

13. Method according to claim 12, characterized in that before selecting said new conference the user sends, by voice command, a key word to exit said first selected conference.

14. Method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said user's connection to said telephone conference is an ISDN connection.

15. Telephone connection system, particularly for conference calls and the like, characterized in that it comprises means (15) for interfacing with line protocols, telephone signal recognition means (10,11,12) connected to said interfacing means (15), means (13) for conference connecting at least one user, control means (2) adapted to receive the numeral of the conference selected by said user by virtue of said recognition means (10,11,12) and to connect said user to said selected conference by virtue of said conference connection means (13).

16. System according to claim 15, characterized in that it comprises automatic reply means (16).

17. System according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said recognition means are pulse signal recognition means (12).

18. System according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said recognition means are dual tone multi-frequency signal recognition means (11).

19. System according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said recognition means are voice signal recognition means (10).

20. System according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said control means (2) are adapted to receive, by virtue of said recognition means (10,11,12), the numeral of a new conference selected by said user while said user is in said selected conference, and are adapted to transfer said user to said selected new conference.

21. System according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises supervisor means (17) adapted to monitor the active conferences and optionally to interact in any step thereof, including the setting of one or more users to listen-only mode.