Abstract:
A telecommunications endpoint and method are disclosed that involve the monitoring of a conference call by the endpoint, on behalf of a call participant who is either at the endpoint or elsewhere, and the prompting of the participant when his/her presence is needed. The monitoring of the call involves determining whether certain phrases that are relevant to and initialized by the participating endpoint user are spoken during the call. Such phrases might comprise the user&#39;s name, the name of a relevant project, the name of a relevant work item, and so forth. At a point in the call when one of the phrases has been spoken, the endpoint prompts the user of the event and provides relevant information that enables the user to refocus attention towards the call.

Description:
FILED OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to telecommunications in general, and, more particularly, to a telecommunications endpoint that monitors a call on behalf of an endpoint user and prompts the user to focus on the call when needed. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Teleconferencing, at least in theory, can be an effective tool that involves the live exchange of information, particularly audio signals, among call participants. In reality, however, teleconferencing often ties up the participants for extended periods of time. Some of the participants often have to sit through an entire conference call, even though their presence is ultimately needed for only a portion of the call, and sometimes their presence is ultimately not even necessary. These participants often have to listen in to the entire conference call to know when it is their turn to speak, their prolonged wait wasting valuable time and productivity. Or, these participants only partially listen while multitasking on other work items, such as looking through email in their office, and often miss their cue to focus on the call and speak when requested to respond to something being discussed on the call. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention comprises the monitoring of a conference call by a telecommunications endpoint, on behalf of a call participant who is either at the endpoint or elsewhere, and the prompting of the participant when his/her presence is needed. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment of the present invention, the monitoring of the call involves determining whether certain phrases that are relevant to and initialized by the participating endpoint user are spoken during the call. Such phrases might comprise the user&#39;s name, the name of a relevant project, the name of a relevant work item, and so forth. At a point in the call when one of the phrases has been spoken, the endpoint prompts the user of the event and provides relevant information that enables the user to refocus attention towards the call. 
     In the first example of the illustrative embodiment, the telecommunications endpoint monitors a conference call on behalf of its own user, who is a participant of the conference call, while the user is temporarily distracted from the conference call. The user might be distracted while involved in a “parallel activity” to the conference call. For example, endpoint  101 - 1 &#39;s user might have another activity going on in her office, which prevents her from giving her undivided attention to the conference call. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, the endpoint first initializes a set of user-specified spoken phrases to be monitored for during the conference call. The endpoint then joins the conference call. When its user invokes the feature, such as at the start of the call, the endpoint initializes the monitoring process by automatically muting its microphone and decreasing the volume level of its loudspeaker, and then starts to monitor the conference call for the spoken phrases initialized earlier. At this point, the endpoint is also recording the call and maintaining in its memory the most recent portion of the audio from the call, the audio portion to be used later. 
     Continuing with the first example, when one of the other participants speaks a stored phrase, or something similar, the endpoint alerts its user of the event, who is then able to focus—that is, concentrate her attention—on the conference call. In some embodiments, the alert comprises an indicium of the participant who spoke the stored phrase, thereby providing better context to the user. The endpoint automatically unmutes its microphone, increases the volume back to a normal listening level, and/or plays back the latest portion of audio from the call, in order to enable its user to focus more easily and to provide context of the alerted event to the user. 
     In a second example of the illustrative embodiment, the telecommunications endpoint monitors a conference call on behalf of a remote participant, who is using an endpoint in the prior art, while the remote participant is temporarily distracted from the conference call. The remote participant might be distracted while involved in a parallel activity to the conference call and presumably does not have the monitoring-and-prompting feature disclosed herein on his own phone. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, the endpoint first initializes a set of user-specified spoken phrases to be monitored for during the conference call. The illustrative-embodiment endpoint then joins the conference call, as well as the prior-art endpoint of the remote participant. When the feature is subsequently invoked, the illustrative-embodiment endpoint initializes the monitoring process and then starts to monitor the conference call for the spoken phrases initialized earlier. When one of the participants speaks a stored phrase, or something similar, the endpoint alerts the remote participant of the event, possibly by transmitting a text message or other type of message to the remote endpoint, and the remote participant is then able to focus on the conference call. 
     The illustrative embodiment of the present invention is made possible by a voice recognition engine, which is becoming increasingly available on telecommunications endpoints. Advantageously, it is the telecommunications endpoint of the illustrative embodiment that provides the disclosed feature, instead of a centralized device such as a teleconference bridge, because the endpoint is able to provide the feature independently of any of the other endpoints or devices involved in the call. 
     The telecommunications endpoint of the illustrative embodiment of the present invention comprises: a microphone for receiving a first input audio signal from a first participant in a conference call; a network interface for receiving a second input audio signal from a second participant of the conference call at a second telecommunications endpoint; a processor for recognizing the first input audio signal as a first spoken phrase, for recognizing the second input audio signal as a second spoken phrase, and for determining whether the second spoken phrase is equivalent to the first spoken phrase; and alerting means for alerting one of the participants in the conference call other than the second participant, when the processor determines that the second spoken phrase is equivalent to the first spoken phrase. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  depicts a schematic diagram of teleconference system  100  in accordance with the illustrative embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of the salient components of telecommunications endpoint  101 - 1 , which is part of system  100 . 
         FIG. 3  depicts an overview of the tasks performed by endpoint  101 - 1 , in monitoring a conference call on behalf of its user, as part of a first example of the illustrative embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  depicts a flowchart of the salient tasks performed by telecommunications endpoint  101 - 1  in initializing a set of spoken phrases. 
         FIG. 5  depicts a flowchart of the salient tasks performed by telecommunications endpoint  101 - 1  in activating the monitoring and prompting feature of the illustrative embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  depicts a flowchart of the salient tasks performed by telecommunications endpoint  101 - 1  in monitoring the conference call for the spoken phrases initialized previously. 
         FIG. 7  depicts a flowchart of the salient tasks performed by endpoint  101 - 1  in processing a match between phrases. 
         FIG. 8  depicts an overview of the tasks performed by endpoint  101 - 1 , in monitoring a conference call on behalf of a different endpoint&#39;s user, as part of another example of the illustrative embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  depicts a schematic diagram of teleconference system  100  in accordance with the illustrative embodiment of the present invention. System  100  comprises telecommunications endpoints  101 - 1  through  101 -J, wherein J is an integer greater than one; telecommunications network  102 ; private branch exchange (PBX)  103 ; and teleconference bridge  104 , interconnected as shown. 
     Telecommunications endpoint  101 - j , where j has a value between 1 and J, inclusive, is a device that is capable of handling a telephone call for its user. Endpoint  101 - j  can be a cellular phone, a conference phone (i.e., “speakerphone”), a deskset, a soft phone resident in a computer, or some other type of telecommunications appliance that is capable of exchanging voice signals. Endpoint  101 - j  is able to call, or to be called by, another endpoint or device within teleconference system  100 . For example, in order to participate in a conference call, endpoint  101 - j  is able to dial a telephone number that routes to teleconference bridge  104 . 
     Some of endpoints  101 - 1  through  101 -J are endpoints that are tied to a private-branch exchange, such as desksets in an office enterprise network for which telecommunications service is enabled by private-branch exchange  103 . For example, endpoints  101 - 1 ,  101 - 3 , and  101 - 4  as depicted are PBX endpoints that route through PBX  103  in order to place or receive a call, such as a conference call that involves bridge  104 . 
     Telecommunications endpoint  101 - 1 , in particular, is capable of performing the tasks of the illustrative embodiment. The salient components of endpoint  101 - 1  that enable the performing of the tasks are described below and with respect to  FIG. 2 . The salient tasks that are performed by endpoint  101 - 1  are described below and with respect to  FIGS. 3 through 8 . It will be clear, however, those skilled in the art how to make and use embodiments of the present invention in which one or more endpoints other than endpoint  101 - 1  are capable of performing the tasks of the illustrative embodiment within the same or different conference calls. 
     Telecommunications network  102  provides the connectivity among endpoints  101 - 1  through  101 -J, and enables the transport and control of communications signals between two or more endpoints per call. The communications signals convey bitstreams of encoded media, such as audio, video, and so forth. To this end, network  102  comprises one or more interconnected data-processing systems such as switches, servers, routers, and gateways, as are well-known in the art. For example, network  102  comprises private-branch exchange  103  and teleconference bridge  104 . 
     In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, network  102  comprises an Internet Protocol-based (IP-based) network, as is known in art, for the purpose of transporting voice signals. Although network  102  in the illustrative embodiment comprises a Voice-over-IP (VoIP) service provider&#39;s network, network  102  could alternatively or additionally comprise another type of network such as the Internet, some other type of IP-based network, or some other type of packet-based network, such as the Public Switched Telephone Network, as those who are skilled in the art will appreciate. 
     Teleconference bridge  104  is a server or switch that enables the users of multiple endpoints to communicate with each other during a conference call, for one or more concurrent calls. Bridge  104  receives audio signals from endpoints that are participating on a conference call, mixes those signals together, and transmits the mixed signals back to the endpoints. 
     During operation, bridge  104  receives an audio feed from each endpoint, such as endpoint  101 - 1 , adds the feeds, and distributes the sum back to endpoints  101 - 1  through  101 -J. In the operation of bridge  104 , the audio signal received by any endpoint  101 - j  contains components of one or more other endpoints  101 - k , k≠j, but explicitly excludes components of the signal sent to the bridge by endpoint  101 - j . By doing so, bridge  104  prevents regenerative acoustic feedback that would otherwise occur. 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram of the salient components of telecommunications endpoint  101 - 1  in accordance with the illustrative embodiment of the present invention. The depicted components are interconnected as shown. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, telecommunications endpoint  101 - 1  comprises:
         i. receiver interface  201 ,   ii. transmitter interface  202 ,   iii. processor  203 ,   iv. memory  204 ,   v. microphone  205 ,   vi. display  206 ,   vii. loudspeaker  207 , and   viii. vibration mechanism  208 .
 
It will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which telecommunications endpoint  101 - 1  comprises any subcombination of the components listed above.
       

     Receiver interface  201  and transmitter interface  202  constitute the network interface that enables endpoint  101 - 1  to respectively receive signals from and transmit signals to network  102 , in well-known fashion. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, endpoint  101 - 1  receives and transmits media waveform signals in well-known fashion, such as audio signals that are encoded via the ITU G.729 standard (or other standard) and represented in Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) packet streams of data. As those who are skilled in the art will appreciate, in some alternative embodiments endpoint  101 - 1  receives and transmits media waveform signals that are encoded and/or represented in a different format. 
     Processor  203  is a general-purpose processor that is capable of receiving information from receiver interface  201  and microphone  205 , of executing instructions stored in memory  204  such as those that correspond to some or all of the tasks of the illustrative embodiment, of reading data from and writing data into memory  204 , and of transmitting information to transmitter interface  202 . Additionally, processor  203  is able to provide signals to display  206 , loudspeaker  207 , and vibration mechanism  208 . Processor  203  is also able to perform voice recognition on signals received from microphone  205  or on signals received from network interface receiver  201 , or both. 
     In some alternative embodiments of the present invention, processor  203  might be a special-purpose processor. In some other alternative embodiments, the functionality performed by processor  203  might be divided up among multiple processors (e.g., one for voice recognition processing, another for general processing, etc.). 
     Memory  204  stores the instructions and data used by processor  203 , in well-known fashion. Memory  204  can be any combination of dynamic random-access memory (RAM), flash memory, disk drive memory, and so forth. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, memory  204  is further capable of storing the most recent T seconds (e.g., five seconds, etc.) of audio signal received from network  102 , as recorded by processor  203 . 
     Microphone  205  is a transducer that is able to receive acoustic signals and to convert them to electrical signals for transmission and/or storage. It will be clear to those skilled in the art how to make and use microphone  205 . 
     Display  206  is part of the user interface of endpoint  101 - 1 . In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, display  206  comprises a liquid crystal display that is able to present the endpoint&#39;s user with a visual representation of information. It will be clear to those skilled in the art how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which display  206  comprises other than a liquid crystal display. 
     Loudspeaker  207  is another part of the user interface of endpoint  101 - 1 . In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, loudspeaker  207  is able to present the endpoint&#39;s user with an audible representation of information. As those who are skilled in the art will appreciate, in some alternative embodiments of endpoint  101 - 1 , loudspeaker  207  can instead be a type of electro-acoustic transducer other than a loudspeaker, such as an earpiece. In any event, it will be clear to those skilled on the art how to make and use loudspeaker  207 . 
     Vibration mechanism  208  is yet another part of the user interface of endpoint  101 - 1 . In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, mechanism  208  is able to present the endpoint&#39;s user with a tactile representation of information. It will be clear to those skilled on the art how to make and use vibration mechanism  208 . 
     In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, processor  203  of endpoint  101 - 1  performs the tasks described below and with respect to  FIGS. 3 through 8 . As those who are skilled in the art will appreciate, in some alternative embodiments, two or more components within endpoint  101 - 1  can perform different subsets of the described tasks. 
       FIGS. 3 through 8  depict flowcharts of the salient tasks performed by telecommunications endpoint  101 - 1 , in accordance with the illustrative embodiment of the present invention. As those who are skilled in the art will appreciate, in some alternative embodiments, only a subset of the depicted tasks are performed, while at least some of performed tasks might be performed simultaneously or in a different order from that depicted. 
     In a first example that follows, endpoint  101 - 1  monitors a conference call on behalf of its own user, who is a participant of the conference call, while the user is temporarily distracted from the conference call. The user might be distracted while involved in a “parallel activity” to the conference call. For example, endpoint  101 - 1 &#39;s user might have another activity going on in her office, which prevents her from giving her undivided attention to the call. The parallel activity might be related to or even in support of the call, or it might be unrelated to the call. Alternatively, the user might not have any parallel activity in mind, but instead might want to use the feature of the illustrative embodiment in order not to disrupt the call should she become distracted later 
       FIG. 3  provides an overview of the tasks performed in the first example, with some of the tasks being described in additional detail with respect to  FIGS. 4 through 7 . At task  301  in  FIG. 3 , endpoint  101 - 1  initializes a set of spoken phrases to be monitored for during a conference call or some other type of teleconference in which at least the audio portion of the call is to be shared among the participants. One such spoken phrase might include the user&#39;s name. This task is invoked by the selection of a menu option at the endpoint, or it might be invoked through other means. Task  301  is described in detail with respect to  FIG. 4 . 
     At task  302 , endpoint  101 - 1  joins the conference call in well-known fashion. Presumably, at least one other endpoint also participates on the call. 
     At task  303 , endpoint  101 - 1  processes the activation of the monitoring and prompting feature of the illustrative embodiment. The feature activation occurs when the user of endpoint  101 - 1  indicates to the endpoint that it is to start the monitoring process, enabling the user to take care of her parallel activity. The indication can occur as the result of a menu selection, can occur automatically when the user mutes the endpoint&#39;s microphone, or can occur through some other means, as those who are skilled in the art will appreciate. Task  303  is described in detail with respect to  FIG. 5 . 
     At task  304 , endpoint  101 - 1  monitors the conference call for the spoken phrases initialized at task  301 . During this monitoring phase, endpoint  101 - 1  is acting on behalf of its user to determine whether the user should refocus on the conference call, such as when one of the other participants speaks the user&#39;s name or other key phrase. Task  304  is described in detail with respect to  FIG. 6 . 
     At task  305 , endpoint  101 - 1  processes a phrase that has been matched at task  304 , such as another participant having spoken the endpoint user&#39;s name. Task  305  is described in detail with respect to  FIG. 7 . 
     At task  306 , endpoint  101 - 1  continues its participation in the conference call, maintaining its connection until the call is ended. 
     At task  307 , if the monitoring and prompting feature is re-activated (e.g., by the user, etc.), task execution proceeds back to task  303 . Otherwise, task execution proceeds back to task  306  to continue the call in well-known fashion. 
       FIG. 4  depicts a flowchart of the salient tasks performed by telecommunications endpoint  101 - 1  in initializing a set of spoken phrases, as referred to earlier and with respect to task  301 . 
     At task  401 , endpoint  101 - 1  receives input signals from endpoint  101 - 1 &#39;s user in well-known fashion. For example, the user can either speak audio signals into the microphone or enter information by using endpoint  101 &#39;s keypad. 
     At task  402 , endpoint  101 - 1  recognizes the received input signals as one or more spoken phrases in well-known fashion, and stores them into memory  204 . For example, endpoint  101 - 1  might recognize and store what was spoken as a full phrase (e.g., “Karl, we need you”, “Are you there, Jane”, etc.), or it might recognize and store a subset of what was spoken (e.g., “Karl, “Jane”, etc.), or both. As those who are skilled in the art will appreciate, any of a variety of voice-recognition techniques can be applied to perform the actions associated with task  402 . After task  402 , task execution proceeds to task  302 . 
       FIG. 5  depicts a flowchart of the salient tasks performed by telecommunications endpoint  101 - 1  in processing the user&#39;s activation of the feature, as referred to earlier and with respect to task  303 . 
     At task  501 , endpoint  101 - 1  begins recording and storing the last T seconds (e.g., five seconds, etc.) of the conference call. In some embodiments, the endpoint user may select the value for T, depending on how much of the most recent part of the call the user will want to review when endpoint  101 - 1  prompts the user. In some alternative embodiments, endpoint  101 - 1  starts recording at least part of the call when the endpoint joins the call. 
     At task  502 , endpoint  101 - 1  mutes its microphone. Muting is performed so that the rest of the participants on the conference call will not hear the user while she is involved in the parallel activity. In some alternative embodiments, endpoint  101 - 1  instead detects a muting of the microphone by endpoint  101 - 1 &#39;s user, which in combination with the user having previously initialized spoken phrases (at task  301 ), indicates to the endpoint that the user is activating the monitoring and prompting feature of the illustrative embodiment. 
     At task  503 , endpoint  101 - 1  decreases the volume level of its loudspeaker to a predetermined level, in order to enable the user to concentrate on the parallel activity. In some embodiments, the user previously established the value of the predetermined level. In some alternative embodiments, the user might have configured the feature not to decrease the volume level at all. After task  503 , task execution proceeds to task  304 . 
       FIG. 6  depicts a flowchart of the salient tasks performed by telecommunications endpoint  101 - 1  in monitoring the conference call for the spoken phrases initialized at task  301 , as referred to earlier and with respect to task  304 . 
     At task  601 , endpoint  101 - 1  receives input audio signals from the other participants in the conference call. As described earlier and in well-known fashion, teleconference bridge  104  provides the appropriate mix of audio signals back to each endpoint, including endpoint  101 - 1 . 
     At task  602 , endpoint  101 - 1  recognizes the input audio signals as one or more spoken phrases. For example, endpoint  101 - 1  might recognize what was just spoken during the conference call as a full phrase (e.g., “Karl, we need you”, “Are you there, Jane”, etc.), or it might recognize individual words (e.g., “Karl, “Jane”, etc.), or both. As those who are skilled in the art will appreciate, any of a variety of voice-recognition techniques can be applied to perform the actions associated with task  602 . 
     At task  603 , endpoint  101 - 1  determines whether the spoken phrases recognized at task  602  are equivalent to at least one of those recognized at task  402 . A phrase spoken during the conference call is considered to be equivalent to a stored phrase when the two phrases are similar enough to be considered a match, from a voice-recognition algorithmic perspective. As with task  602 , any of a variety of voice-recognition techniques can be applied to perform the actions associated with task  603 , with respect to determining that a recently-spoken phrase matches, at least to some degree, a phrase that had been previously stored. 
     At task  604 , if there is equivalence between phrases, task execution proceeds to task  305 . Otherwise, task execution proceeds back to task  601  to continue the monitoring of the conference call. 
       FIG. 7  depicts a flowchart of the salient tasks performed by endpoint  101 - 1  in processing a match between phrases, as referred to above and with respect to task  305 . 
     At task  701 , endpoint  101 - 1  alerts its user that a match occurred. For example, endpoint  101 - 1  alerts its user by playing an audio prompt through the loudspeaker, in which the audio prompt indicates that a spoken phrase that had been recognized and stored at task  301  has just been spoken by a participant of the conference call. 
     In some embodiments, the audio prompt further comprises an indicium of the participant of the conference call who spoke the phrase. There are various techniques that can be used to determine the identity of the participant who spoke the phrase. For example, a more sophisticated voice-recognition algorithm can be implemented at endpoint  101 - 1  that is able to determine not only what is being said, but who is saying it. As another example, teleconference bridge  104  can i) detect who is speaking at any given moment, such as by monitoring the audio-signal energy at each of its input ports, ii) format the corresponding indicium, and iii) transmit it to endpoint  101 - 1 , in the order described. 
     In some alternative embodiments, endpoint  101 - 1  alerts its user by displaying a textual or visual prompt on the endpoint&#39;s display, indicating that a stored phrase has just been spoken, as well as indicating the indicium of the person who spoke the phrase. In some other alternative embodiments, endpoint  101 - 1  alerts its user via another means, such as by actuating its vibration mechanism. 
     At task  702 , endpoint  101 - 1  increases the volume level of the loudspeaker if it had been decreased back at task  503 . 
     At task  703 , endpoint  101 - 1  represents to the alerted user at least a portion of the last T seconds of recorded conversation, so that the user can quickly review the context of why she is needed on the call. This amounts to playing back the portion of recorded conversation through the loudspeaker. In some embodiments, endpoint  101 - 1  converts the portion of recorded conversation to text, in well-known fashion, and then displays it for the user to read. 
     At task  704 , endpoint  101 - 1  unmutes the microphone if it had been muted previously. At this point, the user has acquired some context of the recent portion of the call, as enabled by task  703 , and is able to verbally respond to what had been spoken on the call. 
     Task execution then proceeds to task  306 , where endpoint  101 - 1  continues its participation in the conference call. 
     In a second example of the illustrative embodiment, endpoint  101 - 1  monitors a conference call on behalf of a remote participant, instead of the endpoint&#39;s own user, while the remote participant is temporarily distracted from the call. The remote participant might have joined the call using endpoint  101 - 2 , which in this example is a cell phone in the prior art that is incapable of performing the tasks of the illustrative embodiment. Subsequent to joining the call, the remote participant placed the prior-art cell phone in speakerphone mode and then put the phone down to take care of another matter.  FIG. 8  summarizes the salient tasks that are executed as part of this second example and follows the overall flow of  FIG. 3 , if not the specific tasks executed. 
     At task  801 , endpoint  101 - 1  initializes a set of spoken phrases to be monitored for during a conference call. For example, similar to what is described above and with respect to  FIG. 4 , endpoint  101 - 1 &#39;s user either speaks audio signals on behalf of endpoint  101 - 2 &#39;s user or endpoint  101 - 1 &#39;s user configures her endpoint to be able to then accept audio signals from endpoint  101 - 2 &#39;s user. Endpoint  101 - 1  then recognizes the input signals as one or more spoken phrases and stores them for later use. 
     At task  802 , endpoint  101 - 1  joins the conference call in well-known fashion. Presumably at least one other participating endpoint also joins the call, including endpoint  101 - 2 . 
     At task  803 , endpoint  101 - 1  processes the user&#39;s activation of the feature of the illustrative embodiment. This task comprises at least some of the subtasks described above and with respect to  FIG. 5 . For example, endpoint  101 - 1  begins recording and storing the last T seconds of the call, the audio portion to be used later. In some embodiments, endpoint  101 - 1  transmits a control signal to endpoint  101 - 2  that mutes endpoint  101 - 2 &#39;s microphone and/or decreases the volume level of that endpoint&#39;s loudspeaker. 
     At task  804 , endpoint  101 - 1  monitors the conference call, on behalf of endpoint  101 - 2 &#39;s user, for the spoken phrases initialized at task  801 . Task  804  is described in detail with respect to  FIG. 6 . 
     At task  805 , endpoint  101 - 1  processes a phrase that was matched at task  804 . For example, similar to what is described above and with respect to  FIG. 7 , endpoint  101 - 1  alerts endpoint  101 - 2 &#39;s user by transmitting a message to endpoint  101 - 2 , such as a text message, in which the message indicates that a spoken phrase that had been recognized and stored at task  801  has just been spoken by a participant of the conference call. In some embodiments, the message further comprises an indicium of the participant of the conference call who spoke the phrase. In some other embodiments, the message comprises a prompt to endpoint  101 - 2 &#39;s user to unmute his/her endpoint&#39;s microphone. 
     At task  806 , endpoint  101 - 1  continues its participation in the conference call, maintaining its connection until the call is ended. 
     At task  807 , if the feature is re-activated, such as by one of the users, task execution proceeds back to task  803 . Otherwise, task execution proceeds back to task  806  to continue the call in well-known fashion. 
     It is to be understood that the disclosure teaches just one example of the illustrative embodiment and that many variations of the invention can easily be devised by those skilled in the art after reading this disclosure and that the scope of the present invention is to be determined by the following claims.