Patent ID: 8305939
Filing Date: 2012-11-06
Classification: H04L,H04M

Abstract:
1. A computer-implemented method of controlling a conference call comprising: during a peer-to-peer, unmoderated conference call, receiving and detecting by a computer an in-band interrupt request signal initiated by a non-speaking conferee, wherein an in-band signal comprises a voice or audio tone signal transmitted from the initiating non-speaking conferee and received in a same band as a microphone signal from the non-speaking conferee, and wherein the detecting comprises detecting a Dual Tone Multifrequency tone or detecting a spoken command using a voice recognized; subsequent to and responsive to the detection of a request signal, automatically determining by the computer at least one conferee who is currently speaking, and sending by the computer an alert signal to the currently speaking conferee, while preventing transmission of the alert signal and interrupt request signal to all non-speaking conferees; receiving by the computer an in-band acknowledgment signal from the currently speaking conferee indicating acknowledgment of the in-band interrupt request signal, wherein the acknowledgment signal is independent of rejection or acceptance of an interrupt request by the currently speaking conferee; transmitting by the computer the acknowledgment signal received from the currently speaking conferee to the requesting non-speaking conferee without sending the acknowledgment to other conferees in the conference call, without changing muting states of the non-speaking conferee and of the speaking conferee; continuing by the computer to send the alert signal until detecting that the currently speaking conferee has taken a predetermined action, wherein the alert signal indicates the continuing interrupt request and is independent of a muting state of the non-speaking conferee; and discontinuing by the computer sending the alert signal responsive to detecting that the currently speaking conferee has taken the predetermined action.