Patent ID: 6038304
Filing Date: 2000-03-14
Classification: H04M

Abstract:
For a telephony system having a switch within which an automatic conferencing service resides, a method of establishing a conference call between an originating party and at least one of a plurality of terminating parties, said originating party being serviced by said switch, the method comprising the steps of:said originating party dialing a conference call access number;upon connecting with said conference call access number, said originating party entering phone numbers for said plurality of terminating parties;upon entering said phone numbers for said plurality of terminating parties, said automatic conferencing service transmitting, via said switch, a call request to each one of said plurality of terminating parties;upon transmitting said call request to each one of said plurality of terminating parties, said automatic conferencing service initiating a countdown of a time-out period and applying a ringback, via said switch, to said originating party;said switch completing a conference call between said originating party and each one of said plurality of terminating parties responding to said call request before expiration of said time-out period;said switch releasing each one of said plurality of terminating parties failing to answer said call request by expiration of said time-out periodwherein the step of said switch connecting, to said call, each one of said plurality of terminating parties responding to said call request before expiration of said time-out period further comprises the step of:upon a first one of said plurality of terminating parties responding to said call request, said switch discontinuing said ringback to said originating party.