Systems and methods for accessing conference calls

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016277583-A1
Application number	US-201615169085-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 31, 2016
Priority date	Mar 9, 2015
Publication date	Sep 22, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and methods notify an individual when the start time of a scheduled conference call is approaching. The systems and methods may also automatically connect the individual to the conference call. The systems and methods may obtain information about one or more scheduled conference calls directly from the individual's electronic calendar. The systems and methods may also receive a request from an individual to be connected to a conference call, and then act to automatically connect the individual to the conference call using information obtained from the individual's electronic calendar.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for connecting a telephony device to a conference call, comprising:
obtaining, using one or more processors, information about the conference call listed in an individual's electronic calendar, wherein the information includes at least a start time of the conference call; performing an action based upon a comparison of the current time to a start time of the conference call; and setting up a communications channel between the conference call and the telephony device.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein performing an action comprises sending a notification to the individual about the conference call.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein sending a notification comprises causing a SMS, MMS or text message to be sent to a telephony device used by the individual.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein sending a notification comprises causing the notification to be played to the individual by a voice interface.

5 . The method of claim 2 , wherein sending a notification comprises sending a notification to the individual at a predetermined time relative to the start time of the conference call.

6 . The method of claim 2 , wherein sending a notification comprises sending a notification to the individual that queries the individual for a response, and wherein the step of setting up a communications channel between the conference call and the telephony device is performed responsive to the user's response.

7 . The method of claim 2 , wherein sending a notification comprises sending a notification to the individual that asks the individual to identify a telephony device or to provide an identifier of a device to which the conference call is to be connected.

8 . The method of claim 2 , wherein before sending a notification to the individual, the method further comprises:
determining a location of the individual; and determining an identity of a telephony device based on the location of the individual; and wherein sending a notification to the individual comprises sending a notification that asks the individual whether the individual would like the determined telephony device to be connected to the conference call.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein determining a location of the individual comprises receiving location information from a telephony device used by the individual.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein setting up a communications channel between the conference call and the telephony device comprises:
setting up a first communications channel between a telephony system and a conference call bridge for the conference call; setting up a second communications channel between the telephony system and the telephony device; and bridging together the first and second communications channels to create the communications channel between the conference call and the telephony device.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the timing of the performance of the bridging step is such that if the conference call bridge plays a query asking the individual to speak their name, that query will play after the bridging step has been performed.

12 . A system for connecting a telephony device to a conference call, comprising:
means for obtaining information about the conference call listed in an individual's electronic calendar, wherein the information includes at least a start time of the conference call; means for performing an action based upon a comparison of the current time to a start time of the conference call; and means for setting up a communications channel between the conference call and the telephony device.

13 . A system for connecting a telephony device to a conference call, comprising:
an electronic calendar interface comprising at least one processor that obtains information about the conference call listed in an individual's electronic calendar, wherein the information includes at least a start time of the conference call, and that performs an action based upon a comparison of the current time to a start time of the conference call; and a communication channel setup unit that sets up a communications channel between the conference call and the telephony device.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the electronic calendar interface sends a notification to the individual about the conference call.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the electronic calendar interface sends a notification to the individual by causing a SMS, MMS or text message to be sent to a telephony device used by the individual.

16 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the electronic calendar interface sends a notification to the individual by causing the notification to be played to the individual by a voice interface.

17 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the electronic calendar interface sends a notification to the individual at a predetermined time relative to the start time of the conference call.

18 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the electronic calendar interface sends a notification to the individual that queries the individual for a response, and wherein the communications channel setup unit sets up the communication channel between the conference call and the telephony device upon receiving a response to the query from the individual.

19 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the conference connection unit sends a notification to the individual that asks the individual to identify a telephony device or to provide an identifier of a device to which the conference call is to be connected.

20 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the electronic calendar interface determines a location of the individual and determines an identity of a telephony device based on the location of the individual, and wherein the notification sent to the individual asks the individual whether the individual would like the determined telephony device to be connected to the conference call.

21 . The system of claim 20 , wherein the electronic calendar interface determines a location of the individual based on location information received from a telephony device used by the individual.

22 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the communication channel setup unit sets up a first communications channel between a telephony system and a conference call bridge for the conference call, sets up a second communications channel between the telephony system and the telephony device, and then bridges together the first and second communications channels to create the communications channel between the conference call and the telephony device.

23 . The system of claim 22 , wherein the timing of the performance of the bridging step is such that if the conference call bridge plays a query asking the individual to speak their name, that query will play after the bridging step has been performed.

Assignees

• Vonage Business Inc

Inventors

• Srinivasan Sanjay
• Hung Iv Antonio
• Efrati Tzahi

Classifications

• H04M3/42059 Primary

  Making use of the calling party identifier · CPC title

• H04M3/56 Primary

  Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities (video conference systems H04N7/15) · CPC title

• H04W4/14

  Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD] · CPC title

• G06Q10/1093

  Calendar-based scheduling for persons or groups · CPC title

• H04M2203/2072

  Schedules, e.g. personal calendars · CPC title