Abstract:
Provided is a system and method for consolidating telephone calls from more than one individual to a single, remote conference call provider through a telephone switch such that the multiple calls utilize a single telephone connection between the individuals&#39; location and the conference call provider. A private branch exchange (PBX) or other type of switch detects attempts by multiple local callers to reach a designated conference call number and multiplexes those calls. In one embodiment, at least one of the conference call participants is coupled to the switch via a network, such as the Internet, using an Internet protocol (IP) telephone connection.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates generally to conference call consolidation and, more specifically, to a system that combines connections from multiple callers in a particular conference call into a single connection to a remote location. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Business is frequently conducted by groups of individuals. If these individuals are not located in a single geographic location, some or all the individuals often must travel to a chosen location in order to attend a meeting. In order to eliminate the time and expense of people traveling in order to attend a meeting, teleconferencing has been developed. 
     Teleconferencing is a system in which individuals conduct a meeting by means of telephones or other communication devices. Typically, each individual is connected to a conference call provider by means of an individual connection. or, in the alternative, groups of individuals at a specific location meet in a particular conference room and share a single telephone connection using one or more microphones and speakers. A designated conference call provider provides each participant or group with a telephone number and a pin number. After dialing the telephone number and entering the pin number, each participant is connected to the specific conference call and the teleconference meeting, hosted by the conference call provider, commences. Frequently, each of a number of individuals at a specific location remain in their respective offices and establish individual connections between the location and the conference call provider hosting their conference call. Currently, one way for a group of people to share a connection is by meeting in a particular room and sharing a single telephone. Another way is by having one participant connect to the remote conference call provider, then manually establish a conference call on the local switch with the other local participants. Both of these methods need to be setup in advance by the local participants. 
     Participants at a specific location that choose to establish individual connections each call the conference number, enter the pin number and then are provided their own connection between their telephone and the conference call provider. In other words, each individual employs a separate connection established over its own outside line to the conference call provider. This system unnecessarily monopolizes available connections to the participants&#39; business facility and may increase the expense of the conference call by incurring multiple telephone charges. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Provided is a system and method for consolidating multiple telephone calls from more than one individual to a single, remote conference call provider through a telephone switch such that the multiple calls all utilize a single telephone connection between the individuals&#39; location and the conference call provider. In one embodiment, a private branch exchange (PBX) detects attempts by multiple local callers to reach a designated conference call number and multiplexes those calls through a single telephone connection to the conference call provider. Once a first call to a conference call provider is detected, the PBX waits for or requests the entry of a pin number corresponding to a particular conference call. Following entry of the pin number, a connection to the conference call provider is established, the user is connected to the conference call via the connection, and the PIN is stored in memory. Subsequent callers to the conference call are multiplexed into the connection provided that a PIN input by the subsequent caller matches the PIN stored in memory. In this manner, a conference call attended by multiple callers, each originating from a single local switch such as a PBX, only requires a single telephone connection between the PBX and the conference call provider. In addition, the conference call setup does not require any advance preparation other than the distribution of the telephone number and the PIN to potential participants. 
     In an alternative embodiment, each local participant to the conference call is provided with a temporary, local telephone number, valid only for entry into the conference call. In this embodiment, the temporary number is internal to the PBX and the separate entry of a pin number is unnecessary, unless required to validate a particular conference call participant. Once a participant is validated, if necessary, the participant&#39;s telephone connection is multiplexed into a single connection to the conference call provider. 
     In another embodiment, the local switch is implemented in a computer and at least one of the conference call participants communicates via a network such as the Internet using an Internet protocol (IP) telephone connection. The IP telephone connection is then multiplexed with other IP telephone connections and/or standard calls to the switch and, again, a single connection is provided between the participants&#39; location and the conference call provider. In this and the previously described embodiments, the first caller to a particular conference call establishes the original connection to the conference call provider and later callers are multiplexed into this connection. 
     In addition to saving money on telephone line charges, multiple telephone lines into and out of the local switch are not tied up, thus providing a higher bandwidth for the switch or computer than is otherwise possible. Further, since some conference call providers charge a fee based upon the number of connections to a particular conference call rather than the number of callers, the charge for the conference call may be reduced as well. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A better understanding of the present invention can be obtained when the following detailed description of the disclosed embodiments is considered in conjunction with the following drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a typical call conferencing system; 
     FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a call conferencing system implementing the techniques of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an alternative embodiment that includes provisions for Internet-enabled calls; and 
     FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing an exemplary method of processing calls according to the techniques of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Although described with particular reference to a private branch exchange (PBX), the call consolidation system and method of the disclosed embodiments can be implemented in any local telephone switch in which minimizing outgoing call traffic is desirable. Those with skill in the computing and telephony arts will recognize that the disclosed embodiments have relevance to a wide variety of telephone switching platforms in addition to those described below. Further, the call conferencing system of the present invention can be implemented in software, hardware, or a combination of software and hardware. The hardware portion can be implemented using specialized logic; the software portion can be stored in a memory and executed by a suitable instruction execution system such as a microprocessor. 
     FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a typical call conferencing system  100  in which a conference call provider  103  provides the resources necessary for multiple callers from different locations to conduct a conference call. In this example, a number of local callers  111  are teleconferenced with a remote caller  113 . Local callers  111  employ a corresponding number of local connections  121 , via a private branch exchange (PBX)  101  and multiple connections  113 , to connect to a bridge  105 , a resource provided by conference call provider  103 . Remote caller  123  employs a remote connection  123  to connect to bridge  105 . Each local connection  121  is connected, via PBX  101 , to a single one of multiple connections  113 , which are provided between PBX  101  and conference call provider  103 . Conference call system  100  requires multiple connections  113 , equal in number to local connections  121 , for connecting local callers  111  to the conference call. 
     Although in this example local callers  111  and remote caller  113  can successfully conduct the conference call, scarce bandwidth in the form of multiple connections  113 , which are, in this example, telephone lines between PBX  101  and conference call provider  103 , must be used. In addition to reducing available incoming lines to PBX  101 , call conferencing system  100  may generate unnecessary telephone charges, particularly if the multiple connections  113  between PBX  101  and conference call provider  103  are long distance. 
     FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a call conferencing system  200  implementing the techniques of the present invention. Conference call provider  103 , bridge  105 , remote caller  113 , remote connection  123  and local callers  111  are the same as those described above in conjunction with FIG. 1. A PBX  201  incorporates the techniques of the present invention. It should be noted that PBX  201  is only an example of the type of equipment that can implement the disclosed techniques. The PBX  201  includes a bridge  205 . Local callers  111  are connected to bridge  205  via local connections  221 , with each local caller  111  employing a single connection of connections  221 . PBX  201  and bridge  205  employ a process, described in more detail below in conjunction with FIG. 4, to multiplex local connections  221  into a single connection  213  between PBX  201  and bridge  105  of conference call provider  103 . 
     Once connection  213  is established, conference call provider  103  employs bridge  105  to establish a conference call among local callers  111  and remote caller  113 . Of course, there may be multiple remote callers such as remote caller  113 . In this specific example, conference call provider  103  need only be aware of two connections, connection  213  and remote connection  123 . The techniques of the disclosed embodiments, in addition to being applicable to a number of local switch types, can be utilized with different conference call providers, regardless of whether a particular provider is configured as illustrated in FIGS. 1,  2  and  3 . 
     FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an Internet-enabled call conferencing system  300 , which employs a computing system  301  in conjunction with the Internet  307 . Conference call provider  103 , bridge  105 , remote caller  113  and remote connection  123  are the same as described above in conjunction with FIGS. 1 and 2. In this embodiment, computer  301  includes a bridge  305  and is connected to the Internet  307 . Two Internet-enabled callers  309  are communicatively coupled to computer  301  via the Internet  307 . Those with skill in the computing and telephony arts should be familiar with both the Internet and Internet protocol (IP) telephone calls. Computer  301  and bridge  305  multiplex Internet-enabled callers  309  into a single connection  313  between computer  301  and conference call provider  103 , like PBX  201  and bridge  205  multiplex local callers  111  as explained above in conjunction with FIG.  2 . Of course, there may be more than two Internet-enabled callers  309 , one or more local callers such as a local caller  311  and multiple remote callers such as remote caller  113 . 
     FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing an exemplary “Call Processing” process  400  that implements the techniques of the present invention. Process  400  starts in a “Process Calls” step  401  in which, for the sake of an example, PBX  201  (FIG. 2) is receiving and forwarding telephone calls. Once a call is received from a user, e.g. one of the local callers  111  (FIG.  2 ), control proceeds to a “Designated Number?” step  403  in which the PBX  201  compares the destination number received from a specific local caller  111  and compares the number with a list of designated conference call numbers. The list of designated conference call numbers is entered into the memory (not shown) of PBX  201  by an operator or technician responsible for updating and/or maintaining PBX  201 . Each number in the list is the number of a known conference call provider. 
     If in step  403  the received number is not one designated as a conference call number, control returns to step  401  in which PBX  201  processes the call normally, i.e. routes the call to the designated destination. If the received number is a number that has been designated as a conference call number, then control proceeds to a “Receive Pin” step  405  in which process  400  either requests or waits for the entry of a personal identification number (PIN). In the alternative, local PBX numbers are established and stored in the memory of PBX  201  by the operator or technician specifically for the setup of a particular conference call, wherein each local PBX number is associated with the telephone number of a conference call provider and a valid, corresponding PIN. Each participant of the conference call is then provided with one of the local PBX numbers. In this manner, each local caller  111  provided with a local PBX telephone number corresponding to a particular conference call connects to the particular conference call simply by calling the local number, without the need for entry of a PIN. 
     Once a PIN has been input in step  405 , control proceeds to a “First Caller?” step  407  in which process  400  determines whether the call is the first call to a particular conference call number and PIN. Although a particular conference call number may host multiple distinct conference calls, the conference call number and a PIN uniquely identify a specific conference call. In addition, the PIN input in step  405  functions as a validator to ensure that only authorized callers are consolidated into the specific conference call corresponding to the destination number and the PIN. If the caller is the first call with a particular conference call number and PIN, then control proceeds to a “Call Conference Call Provider (CCP) &amp; Transmit Pin” step  409  in which PBX  201  makes a connection  213  (FIG. 2) to conference call provider  103  (FIGS. 1 and 2) and transmits the PIN provided by the local caller  111  in step  405 . Control then proceeds to a “Connection Established?” step  411 . If in step  411 , the conference call provider  103  determines that the PIN entered by the local caller  111  does not correspond to a particular conference call, then the connection to the conference call provider fails and control proceeds to a “Too Many Tries?” step  415  in which process  400  determines whether the local caller  111  has had enough opportunities to enter, or input, a valid PIN. If a predetermined number of PIN entry failures has occurred, then control proceeds to a “Notify Caller” step  417  in which the local caller is informed of their failure to be validated and added to the requested conference call. Control then returns to step  401  in which the PBX  201  continues to process additional calls. 
     If in step  411  the conference call provider  103  determines that a valid PIN has been input, then the local caller  111  is connected to the respective conference call and the conference call commences. Control then proceeds to a “Store PIN” step  413  in which the PBX  201  stores in memory, in conjunction with the conference call number that is already in memory, the valid PIN. Process  400  then returns control to step  401  and the processing of calls continues. 
     If in step  415  process  400  determines that local caller  111  should be given another opportunity to input a valid PIN, then control returns to step  405  and process  400  continues as explained above. 
     If in step  407  the received call is not the first call to a particular conference call number and PIN, i.e. the PIN has already been stored in memory in conjunction with the particular conference call number, then control proceeds to a “Multiplex Connection” step  419  in which the local caller is added to connection  213 , established in steps  409  and  411 . In this manner, single connection  213  is employed for multiple callers  111 . From step  419 , control proceeds back to step  401  in which incoming calls to the PBX  201  continue to be processed as explained above. 
     While the invention has been shown and described with reference to particular embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, including but not limited to different switch configurations, different conference call configurations and additional, less or modified steps performed in the same or a different order.