Patent ID: 8830056
Filing Date: 2014-09-09
Classification: H04M

Abstract:
1. A method, comprising: while a conference is established between at least a first and second participant utilizing a first and second communication device, respectively, determining that the first participant has put the conference on hold with the first communication device; at a first time while the first participant has put the conference on hold, analyzing one or more conference parameters of interest to determine conference activity, wherein the one or more conference parameters of interest analyzed at the first time include at least one of voice activity, frequency of voice activity, amplitude of voice activity, number of participants providing voice activity, whether participants are responding to other participants, movement of the second participant, and presence of the second participant; determining, at the first time, that conference activity has been detected; in response to determining, at the first time, that conference activity has been detected, providing a first on-hold treatment to at least the second participant, the first on-hold treatment corresponding to at least one of an audible on-hold indicator, a visual on-hold indicator, and an audible notification provided by a whisper page to the second participant; at a second time while the first participant has put the conference on hold, analyzing one or more conference parameters of interest to determine conference activity, wherein the one or more conference parameters of interest analyzed at the second time include at least one of voice activity, frequency of voice activity, amplitude of voice activity, number of participants providing voice activity, whether participants are responding to other participants, movement of the second participant, and presence of the second participant, and wherein the one or more conference parameters of interest analyzed at the first time are different from the one or more conference parameters of interest analyzed at the second time; determining, at the second time, that conference activity has not been detected; and in response to determining, at the second time, that conference activity has not been detected, providing a second on-hold treatment to at least the second participant, the second on-hold treatment corresponding to at least one of a beep, a tone, and music-on-hold.