Media server interaction in conferencing

A method for managing callers into a conference system having a specific conferee limit for servers has steps as follow: for a first caller over the limit for a first conference server, the first caller electing a first conference, establishing a first tie line to a second conference server, and placing the first caller in a continuation of the first conference in the second conference server, for a subsequent caller over the limit, electing to join the first conference, placing the subsequent caller in the continuation in the second conference server, and for a subsequent caller electing to join a conference other than the first conference, determining that there is a listener in the first conference, moving the listener to the continuation in the second conference server, and accommodating the subsequent caller in the first conference server in the conference elected, preserving the single tie line.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention is in the technology area of telephone conferencing, and pertains more particularly to expanding conference capability with multiple media servers.

2. Description of Related Art

Media servers with software engines to conference multiple participants in one or more conferences are well-known in the art. The media server is a computer apparatus executing software that manages multiple audio feeds from and to persons participating with telephony-enabled devices in conferences. A media server is limited partly by hardware and partly by software to a maximum number of conferees, as it is the number of persons that determines the number of audio streams that must be managed and switched. When the limit of conferees is reached, it is common practice to tie in a second media server to handle the additional load. The second media server is coupled to the firsts media server by a tie line (a trunk line). If there is one additional conferee beyond the capacity of the first media server, there is need for one tie line. A second additional conference in current art requires a second tie line.

What is needed is a method of managing the conferences and media streams so additional tie lines are not needed as conferees are added beyond the ability of the first media server.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one embodiment of the invention a method for managing callers into a conference system having a specific conferee limit for servers is provided, comprising, for a first caller over the conferee limit for a first conference server, the first caller electing a first conference to join, establishing a first tie line to a second conference server, and placing the first caller in a continuation of the first conference in the second conference server, the tie line dedicated to the first conference, for a subsequent caller over the conferee limit for the first conference server, the subsequent caller electing to join the first conference, placing the subsequent caller in the continuation of the first conference in the second conference server, and for a subsequent caller electing to join a conference other than the first conference, determining that there is a listener in the first conference in the first conference server, moving the listener to the continuation of the first conference in the second conference server, and accommodating the subsequent caller in the first conference server in the conference elected, preserving the single tie line.

In one embodiment f the method further comprises, for a subsequent caller electing to join a conference other than the first conference, determining that there is no listener in the first conference in the first conference server, determining that there is a conferee in the first conference in the first conference server, moving the conferee to the continuation of the first conference in the second conference, and accommodating the subsequent caller in the first conference server in the conference elected, preserving the single tie line.

In one embodiment of the invention the method further comprises, for a subsequent caller electing to join a conference other than the first conference, determining that there is no listener in the first conference in the first conference server, and determining that there is a conferee in the first conference in the first conference server, moving the conferee to the continuation of the first conference in the second conference, and accommodating the subsequent caller in the first conference server in the conference elected, preserving the single tie line, and upon determining that all conferees in the first conference have been moved to the continuation of the first conference in the second conference server, dropping the tie line between the first and the second conference servers.

Also in an embodiment, for a subsequent caller electing to join a conference other than the first conference, after the first tie line is dropped, establishing a second tie line dedicated to the conference elected by the caller, and placing the caller in a continuation of the conference elected in the second conference server. And in one embodiment, continuing to manage incoming callers by the techniques of moving listeners, and moving conferees that are in a conference for which a tie line is dedicated, such that new conference servers are added as conferee limits are reached, with a single tie line bridging conference servers.

In another aspect of the invention a system managing callers in conferences is provided, comprising a first conference server having a plurality of established conferences, and a specific limit of number of conferees total that may be accommodated in all of the plurality of conferences, and a second conference server connected to the first conference server by a first tie line dedicated to a specific one of the plurality conferences. The first tie line is established in response to a first caller over the limit of conferees in the first conference server, is dedicated to the conference the first caller elects, and wherein a conference extension for the elected conference is established in the second conference server, with the first caller as a conferee, wherein for a subsequent caller electing the same conference as the first caller, the subsequent caller is placed in the conference extension in the second conference server for which the tie line is dedicated, and wherein, for a subsequent caller electing a conference other than the conference for which the tie line is dedicated, it is determined whether there is a listener in the first conference in the first conference server, and if so, the listener is moved to the conference extension in the second conference server, and the subsequent caller is accommodated in the elected conference in the first conference server.

In one embodiment of the system, for a subsequent caller electing to join a conference other than the first conference, determining that there is no listener in the first conference in the first conference server, determining that there is a conferee in the first conference in the first conference server, moving the conferee to the continuation of the first conference in the second conference, and accommodating the subsequent caller in the first conference server in the conference elected, preserving the single tie line.

Also in one embodiment, upon determining that all conferees in the first conference have been moved to the continuation of the first conference in the second conference server, dropping the tie line between the first and the second conference servers. In one embodiment, for a subsequent caller electing to join a conference other than the first conference, after the first tie line is dropped, establishing a second tie line dedicated to the conference elected by the caller, and placing the caller in a continuation of the conference elected in the second conference server. And in one embodiment the system further comprises continuing to manage incoming callers by the techniques of moving listeners, and moving conferees that are in a conference for which a tie line is dedicated, such that new conference servers are added as conferee limits are reached, with a single tie line bridging conference servers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1is a diagram illustrating a single media server101, executing software102, and managing four conferences C1through C4, each conference having a number of conferees, a through n, in current art.

FIG. 2illustrates a circumstance wherein media server101has reached its limit of conferees, and a second media server201has been utilized to manage an excess of conferees. InFIG. 2there are four conferences shown as being managed by Media Server101, with n1conferees in conference1(C1), n2in conference C2, n3in conference C3, and n4in conference C4. As described above, media server101is limited by a maximum number of conferees, not necessarily by the number of conferences.

As an example, Media Server101might be limited to 100 conferees. If n1+n2+n3+n4is equal to or less than 100, Media Server101is adequate to the tasks, and no second media server is needed. If additional conferees join the conferences in progress until there are a total of 100, the next person who joins one of the conferences, indicated as P101inFIG. 2, will have to be accommodated in Media Server201for managing the audio streams. Assume that P101joins conference C1, and that puts Media Server101over its limit. To accomplish this enlargement of service to Media Server201a Tie Line T1is necessary to bridge conference C1between Media Server101and Media Server201. If yet another person P102joins conference C1that person also will be allocated to Media Server201, but the first Tie Line for C1will be adequate.

Also indicated inFIG. 2is a circumstance wherein a third person, P103, has joined conference C4in Media Server101. This third person over the limit must also be allocated for media service to Media Server201, and in the current art a second Tie Line T4is now necessary, to join all of the conferees in C4. The skilled person will recognize that there may be more than four conferences being originally managed in Media Server101, and that a separate Tie Line will need to be established for every conference that is bridged between Media Servers.

FIG. 3is a flow chart illustrating a method in an embodiment of the invention for minimizing the number of media servers and tie lines in expanded service.FIGS. 4A through 4Dare schematic diagrams illustrating state of a system of the invention at different stages in the process illustrated byFIG. 3.

Referring now toFIG. 3, process flow is arbitrarily commenced at step301, under a circumstance that a first Media Server, noted as M1inFIG. 3, has a plurality of conferences in progress, noted as C1through Cn, and under a circumstance that the number of conferees total in all of conferences C1through Cn, in progress, is exactly at the limit, example 100, for the capability of the first Media Server. This circumstance is illustrated by server401inFIG. 4, with ongoing conferences C1, C2, C3and C4.

At step302a new conferee calls in to join one of the conferences. This new caller is one more than Media Server401can serve, designated P101, so will have to be accommodated in a second media server403. Let us assume, for illustration, that the new caller is calling for conference C4in Media Server401. Consequently, a tie line T1is established to Media Server403(M2), and caller P101is accommodated in an extension of C4in M2, as illustrated inFIG. 4A.

In the technical field of conference bridges, servers and software for managing conferencing, a relatively large number of conferees may be engaged in conferences at any one time. It is common practice to manage conferees in different modes, one of which is a full-service mode, such that a conferee in full service mode may hear all other conferees in a particular conference, and may speak to all of the other conferees. Another mode which may be practiced is Listening mode, in which a conferee may hear one or more other conferees, or all other conferees in a conference, but cannot participate by speaking.

Now, at step304another caller, designated P102, dials in to join one of the conferences in Media Server401. This next caller may be asking to join the same conference C4as the first new caller, but it may well be a different one of the conferences in progress. If the second new caller wants to join the same conference as the first new caller, then that caller may be accommodated in M2, Media Server403, along with the first new caller, without adding a second tie line. This circumstance is also shown inFIG. 4Awith both P101and P102together in an extension of whatever conference they both elected to join. There is, at this point, no need for a further tie line.

Now let us assume the second new caller, P102, wants to join a different conference in progress in Media server401than the conference elected by the first new caller P101, assume C2. In an embodiment of the invention, instead of accommodating this additional new caller P102in Media Server403, and establishing a second tie line for conference C2, which would then be bridged between the two media servers, in this embodiment control goes to step305, and it is determined whether there is a conferee in listening mode (listener) in conference C4, the conference for which a tie line has been established to M2, Media server403. If there is a listener in conference C4, that listener is moved to the C4extension in second Media Server403(M2), as noted in step306. This frees up one position in the first media server for the new caller in conference C2in Media Server401, so there is no need to put the new caller in the second Media Server or to add a Tie Line for C2. This circumstance is shown inFIG. 4B, where C4(Listener) is now in the C4conference extension in Server403, and the second new caller P102is connected in C2in Server401. We have had two new callers, the second new caller in two different circumstances, and we still have but one tie line.

In the circumstance wherein a listener is moved from C4to Server403, the system in step307listens for a next caller, back to step304. This next caller is designated P103, wants to join one of the conferences in first Media Server401, and that conference elected is not C4, but for another conference, say C3. At the same time, SW402continues to monitor total conferees in Media Server401. If one or more drop out, then spaces are freed.

Considering new caller P103, if at step305there is no further listener found in the conference C4for which the first Tie Line has been established (NO), in step308, the system checks if there are conferees left in that conference, that is, is the conference still in progress with two or more conferees? If yes, then a conferee in the conference for which the Tie line has been established (our example assumes C4) is moved to the second media server at step309. InFIG. 4Cthis moved conferee is designated C4(Moved). The control goes back to step307looking for a next caller. At this point, there have been three new callers, over and above the 100-conferee limit for Server401, and there is still need for just the one tie line to Server403. This process may continue, under fortuitous circumstances through a substantial number of new callers while avoiding a need for a second tie line, in embodiments of the invention.

Consider now a new caller P104, wanting to join a conference, say C1. Consider that in this circumstance there a no listeners in C4to move to Server403, and at step308there are no conferees left in C4. In previous additions of new callers, all conferees of C4have been moved to Server403, to accommodate new callers, over the threshold of 100 callers, to accommodate the new callers in Server401. If, at step308, If there are no conferees left in C4in the first media server, control goes to step310, and the Tie Line between the first and the second media servers may be dropped, as C4is now managed completely in the second media server. New caller104, having elected to join conference C1, is then accommodated in a continuation of C1in Server403, and a new tie line T2is established for the continuation of C1. This circumstance is illustrated byFIG. 4D. The process, of course continues, and additional callers over the Server401threshold of 100, will be accommodated as described above, by moving listeners and conferees out of C1, into Server403, and only one tie line is still necessary between Servers401and403.

The skilled person will understand, given the examples described, that there are many variable circumstances, and that the process may proceed according to the flow chart ofFIG. 3in a number of different ways, but that there will never be a need for more than one tie line between the original server and a second server tied in to take the progressive overload of the first server. In the second server, SW404, like SW402, enforces the operating parameters described, and a third and successive servers may be tied in, but that there will never be a need for more than a single tie line between servers.

The skilled person will realize that these novel steps may be followed to ensure that no more than one tie line need be established between any two Media Servers. The skilled person will also realize that the steps may be done perhaps in another order, and that there are alternative ways to accomplish the novel process without departing from the scope of the invention. The invention is limited only by the claims below.