Patent ID: 9225938
Filing Date: 2015-12-29
Classification: H04M,H04N

Abstract:
1. A system for automatic connection of computer equipment between participants in an audio teleconference, the system comprising: at least two node units, each said node unit having a phone audio connection to provide an audio interface with a phone, a telephone network audio connection to provide an audio interface with a phone network, and at least one computer interface for interfacing with computer equipment and a computer network, the at least one computer interface comprising at least one computer network connection; and a system control server having an interface to said computer network; wherein a said node unit comprises node processor control code to: transmit an outgoing audio announce message into a potential conference call via said telephone network audio connection, wherein said outgoing audio announce message identifies said node unit connecting to said potential conference call; receive via said telephone network audio connection an incoming said audio announce message from a conference call to which the node unit is already connected; determine, from said incoming audio announce message, an identifier identifying a remote node unit connecting to said conference call; and transmit, via said computer network to said system control server, responsive to said received message, both an identifier for said node unit and said identifier for said remote node unit; and wherein said system control server comprises server processor control code to: receive said identifiers for said node unit and for said remote node unit; and provide computer equipment connection data to respective computer equipment for each of said identified node unit and said identified remote node unit, to enable connection between said respective computer equipment of said node units.