Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/US9020119B2/en
Timestamp: 2019-09-17 14:02:55
Document Index: 115303895

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 11187303', 'Application No. 11187299', 'Application No. 11187303', 'Application No. 11187286', 'Application No. 12169073', 'Application No. 11187303', 'Application No. 2', 'Application No. 2', 'Application No. 11187303', 'Application No. 2']

US9020119B2 - Moderation control method for participants in a heterogeneous conference call - Google Patents
Moderation control method for participants in a heterogeneous conference call Download PDF
US9020119B2
US9020119B2 US13/285,442 US201113285442A US9020119B2 US 9020119 B2 US9020119 B2 US 9020119B2 US 201113285442 A US201113285442 A US 201113285442A US 9020119 B2 US9020119 B2 US 9020119B2
US13/285,442
US20130108034A1 (en
2011-10-31 Priority to US13/285,442 priority Critical patent/US9020119B2/en
2012-10-22 Assigned to RESEARCH IN MOTION CORPORATION reassignment RESEARCH IN MOTION CORPORATION ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: COLBERT, MICHAEL SCOTT
2012-10-26 Priority claimed from CA2793374A external-priority patent/CA2793374C/en
2013-05-02 Publication of US20130108034A1 publication Critical patent/US20130108034A1/en
2015-04-28 Publication of US9020119B2 publication Critical patent/US9020119B2/en
Currently, the methods of generating conference calls are generally limited to a single conference hosting system. For example, a conference call is hosted either by only the intermediate conference server or only the conference bridge. The system independence can lead to problems of scalability when the participant level of the conference hosting system reaches its maximum limit. For example, a mobile bridge can only have a participant limit of three devices. Thus, if there are three conference call participants and if another participant will need to be added to the conference call, the conference call must be terminated. The conference call must then be implemented using a conference hosting system with additional resources, for example, the intermediate conference server or the conference bridge, thus necessitating that all of the conference call participants be reconnected into the conference using the intermediate conference server.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram depicting an example moderator control system for managing moderator controls in a heterogeneous conference;
FIG. 8 b shows an example conference call merged conference call;
Additionally, when adding participants to the conference, additional conference hosting systems can be added to ensure that the participant limit of the heterogeneous conference is not met. Some of the example embodiments below describe systems and methods for adding participants to a conference via additional conference hosting systems that are added as needed.
Mobile device 130 includes a controller comprising at least one processor 240 (such as a microprocessor), which controls the overall operation of mobile device 130. Processor 240 interacts with device subsystems such as communication systems 211 for exchanging radio frequency signals with the wireless network (for example WAN 115 and/or PLMN 120) to perform communication functions. Processor 240 interacts with additional device subsystems including a display 204 such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen or any other appropriate display, input devices 206 such as a keyboard and control buttons, persistent memory 244, random access memory (RAM) 246, read only memory (ROM) 248, auxiliary input/output (I/O) subsystems 250, data port 252 such as a conventional serial data port or a Universal Serial Bus (USB) data port, speaker 256, microphone 258, short-range communication subsystem 262 (which can employ any appropriate wireless (for example, RF), optical, or other short range communications technology), and other device subsystems generally designated as 264. Some of the subsystems shown in FIG. 2 perform communication-related functions, whereas other subsystems can provide “resident” or on-device functions.
Communication systems 211 include one or more communication systems for communicating with wireless WAN 115 and wireless access points 125 a and 125 b within the wireless network. The particular design of communication systems 211 depends on the wireless network in which mobile device 130 is intended to operate. Mobile device 130 can send and receive communication signals over the wireless network after the required network registration or activation procedures have been completed.
Mobile device 130 can provide three principal modes of communication: a data communication mode, a voice communication mode, and a video communication mode. In the data communication mode, a received data signal such as a text message, an e-mail message, Web page download, or an image file is processed by communication systems 211 and input to processor 240 for further processing. For example, a downloaded Web page can be further processed by a browser application, or an e-mail message can be processed by an e-mail message messaging application and output to display 204. A user of mobile device 130 can also compose data items, such as e-mail messages, for example, using the input devices in conjunction with display 204. These composed items can be transmitted through communication systems 211 over the wireless network (for example WAN 115 and/or PLMN 120). In the voice communication mode, mobile device 130 provides telephony functions and operates as a typical cellular phone. In the video communication mode, mobile device 130 provides video telephony functions and operates as a video teleconference term. In the video communication mode, mobile device 130 utilizes one or more cameras (not shown) to capture video of the video teleconference. Additionally, in some embodiments, mobile device 130 utilizes the one or more cameras to capture video. The video can be stored as one or more video data files in persistent memory 244, RAM 246, memory module 230, or any other data storage medium.
FIG. 3A illustrates an example conference (audio or video) between participant A on a mobile device and participant B where the mobile device is acting as a mobile bridge 305. The mobile device used by the moderator of the conference is referred to as the moderator device. In FIGS. 3A-3D the moderator devices are shown using “circles.” In FIG. 3A, the moderator of the conference is participant A. If a conference participant decides to add participant C, the moderator device (for example, mobile device 130) automatically communicates with a server 300 (for example, SMP 165) to join participant C using an additional conference hosting system. In some embodiments, any mobile device can add additional participants. In other embodiments, only the moderator device can add additional participants. FIG. 3B illustrates a heterogeneous conference utilizing mobile bridge 305 to connect participant A and participant B and server 300 (for example, SMP 165), and a connection with participant C via an intermediate conference server 310 (for example PBX 127). Additional participants can then be added until the conference hosting systems have reached some maximum number of participants. This maximum value can be determined automatically by the moderator control system located on the mobile device of participant A. Or in some embodiments, the maximum value is automatically determined by server 300 or by one of the conferencing hosting systems included within the heterogeneous conferences, or some combination thereof. Additionally, in some embodiments the moderator can set the maximum participant value to a value one or more below the actual maximum of the heterogeneous conference. Once the maximum participant value occurs server 300 is configured to automatically conference in an additional conference resource, for example, a conference bridge 320 (can correspond to conference bridge 132), thus creating an expanded heterogeneous conference. In some embodiments, discussed below in reference to FIG. 4, the moderator control system 400 is configured to automatically conference in an additional conference resource without using server 300. FIG. 3C illustrates a heterogeneous conference utilizing mobile bridge 305, server 300, intermediate conference server 310, and conference bridge 320.
Global controls 510 can include a number of controls, for example, a mute control that mutes the moderator with respect to the rest of the conference, and a speaker priority control that mutes all the participants when the moderator speaks. The join control allows the moderator to join one or more other conferences as a participant of those conferences. Additionally, in some embodiments, there is an exit conference control (not shown) that allows the moderator to leave the heterogeneous conference. In some embodiments, when the exit control is executed, the moderator control system can prompt the moderator to transfer moderator control to another conference participant before leaving the heterogeneous conference.
In some embodiments, controls 620 includes all the moderator controls available regardless of whether the controls are used for a particular participant. In this embodiment, when a participant is selected from participants 610, moderator controls that are not available are displayed as being inactive controls 630. For example, FIG. 6B illustrates a menu where participant B is highlighted. Participant B is coupled to the heterogeneous conference using a mobile bridge, accordingly the moderator control over participant B is less than moderator control over participant C, which is coupled to the heterogeneous conference via the conference bridge. In this example, moderator controls associated with a mobile bridge are limited to mute, drop, and transfer moderator control. In this example, inactive controls 630 in relation to participant B include, side conference and record. In some embodiments, as additional conference hosting systems with new controls are added to the heterogeneous conference, the new controls are added to controls 620. Likewise, if a particular conference hosting system is removed from the heterogeneous conference that has moderator controls specific to the particular conference hosting system, those controls are removed from controls 620. Control module 420 is configured to track what level of moderator control is available over each heterogeneous conference participant. When a control is asserted in relation to a participant coupled via a particular conference hosting system, control module 420 communicates with a server (for example, server 300) via communication module 430 to execute the selected control. For example, if the moderator exercises the mute control over the participant, control module 420 would transmit this control to the server, which would then re-transmit the mute control to the particular conference hosting system which then mutes the participant. Because the conference is heterogeneous, the format of the controls can be different depending on how the participant is coupled to the heterogeneous conference. For example, referring to FIG. 3C, a mute control to be exercised over participant C is formatted such that it is recognized by intermediate conference server 310. Whereas, the same mute control, sent to participant L coupled to the heterogeneous conference via conference bridge 320, can require a different format for conference bridge 320 to recognize the control. Server 300 receives controls from control module 420 and automatically formats them to conform with the protocols of the conference hosting systems coupled to the heterogeneous conference. Referring back to FIG. 4, in some embodiments, moderator control system 400 places the controls in the appropriate format before sending them to the server, which then relays the controls to the appropriate conference hosting system. Additionally, in some embodiments moderator control system 400 directly sends the properly formatted controls to the conference hosting systems which make up the heterogeneous conference. Additionally, in some embodiments, moderator control system 400 is configured to send conference information to one or more conference participants. Conference information can include number of conference participants, identity of conference participants, and roles of conference participants (acting as a moderator or a subgroup moderator). Control module 420 can be coupled to interface module 410, communication module 430, and data storage module 440.
In step 710, a moderator control system receives a control to add an additional participant. In step 720, the moderator control system automatically determines whether the participant limit of the heterogeneous conference has been reached. If the hosting systems that make up the heterogeneous conference have not reached the participant limit, the new participant is added (step 730). The moderator device then updates the moderator controls to include the newly added participant (step 740). If, however, the participant limit would be reached, then the server adds the participant using an additional conference hosting system and notifies the moderator device that the participant has been added (step 750). For example, the new participant can be added using an additional mobile bridge, intermediate conference server, conference bridge, or media server. In some embodiments, not shown, the moderator control system is configured to add the participant using the additional conference hosting system.
Each of the one or more conferences prior to merging have their own moderator (pre-merge moderator). After merging the calls into a single heterogeneous conference, however, only one moderator exists. In step 930, the moderator control system determines the moderator identity. In some embodiments, the moderator control system is configured to automatically make the pre-merge moderator who is merging the conference calls the moderator. In other embodiments, the moderator control system prompts each of the pre-merge moderators to determine who shall retain moderator control. Additionally, in some embodiments the moderator control system automatically passes moderator control to the pre-merge moderator with the largest number of participants. In some embodiments not shown, one or more of the pre-merge moderators who are not identified as the moderator of the merged heterogeneous conference can become a sub-group moderator. The sub-group moderator retains limited moderator control over the participants it controlled in the pre-merge conference. For example, in FIG. 8A the pre-merge moderators are participants A and C. If these separate conferences were to merge (FIG. 8B), the moderator control system would determine a moderator for the merged conference (moderator A) and, in this embodiment, would also identify participant C as a sub-group moderator. Sub-group moderator C retains limited moderator control over participants D to K who are coupled to the conference via intermediate conference server 820. The controls of the sub-group moderator can be greater than, the same as, or less than the controls available to the sub-group moderator pre-merge.
acquiring a merge control, by one or more processors, to merge a first conference with a second conference to create a single heterogeneous conference, wherein the first conference and the second conference utilize different types of conference hosting systems and the first conference has an associated first pre-merge moderator and the second conference has an associated second pre-merge moderator;
merging, by one or more processors, the first conference with the second conference to create the heterogeneous conference;
automatically transferring, by one or more processors, moderator controls over each of the participants in the heterogeneous conference from the first pre-merge moderator and/or second pre-merge moderator to the moderator of the heterogeneous conference.
exercising moderator control over a participant of the heterogeneous conference, wherein exercising moderator control includes:
selecting the participant from a list of participants;
selecting a control from a list of moderator controls associated with the participant; and
sending the control to the server.
automatically transferring moderator controls over each of the participants in the heterogeneous conference from the first pre-merge moderator and/or second pre-merge moderator to the moderator of the heterogeneous conference.
one or more processors configured to execute the computer instructions such that the server is configured to:
acquire a merge control to merge a first conference with a second conference to create a single heterogeneous conference, wherein the first conference and the second conference utilize different types of conference hosting systems;
merge the first conference with the second conference to create the heterogeneous conference;
determine a moderator for the heterogeneous conference; and
automatically transfer moderator controls over each of the participants in the heterogeneous conference to a moderator device of the heterogeneous conference.
determine the identity of the moderator of the heterogeneous conference; and
automatically transfer moderator controls over each of the participants in the heterogeneous conference to the moderator of the heterogeneous conference.
US13/285,442 2011-10-31 2011-10-31 Moderation control method for participants in a heterogeneous conference call Active US9020119B2 (en)
US13/285,442 US9020119B2 (en) 2011-10-31 2011-10-31 Moderation control method for participants in a heterogeneous conference call
CA2793374A CA2793374C (en) 2011-10-31 2012-10-26 Moderation control method for participants in a heterogeneous conference call
US20130108034A1 US20130108034A1 (en) 2013-05-02
US9020119B2 true US9020119B2 (en) 2015-04-28
ID=48172459
US13/285,442 Active US9020119B2 (en) 2011-10-31 2011-10-31 Moderation control method for participants in a heterogeneous conference call
US (1) US9020119B2 (en)
US9614968B2 (en) 2015-06-09 2017-04-04 International Business Machines Corporation Managing access to a conference call
US5212726A (en) 1991-04-18 1993-05-18 Harris Corporation Method of combining signals in a telephone conference circuit
US20020110092A1 (en) 1996-10-28 2002-08-15 Kluck Joseph R. Electronic conferencing system capable of communicating data through a local area network
US20030223562A1 (en) 2002-05-29 2003-12-04 Chenglin Cui Facilitating conference calls by dynamically determining information streams to be received by a mixing unit
US20070086365A1 (en) 2005-10-13 2007-04-19 Yen-Fu Chen System for selective teleconference interruption
US7242755B2 (en) 2003-05-13 2007-07-10 Sprint Communications Company L.P. Dynamic routing for a telephone conference call
WO2007101143A2 (en) 2006-02-27 2007-09-07 Maruri Satyanarayana R Facilitating real-time communication between end users of different service networks
US20070264989A1 (en) 2005-10-03 2007-11-15 Rajesh Palakkal Rendezvous calling systems and methods therefor
EP1895776A2 (en) 2003-07-07 2008-03-05 Tandberg Telecom AS Method and device for monitoring and administering many video conference devices within a network
US20090086951A1 (en) 2007-09-28 2009-04-02 Avaya Technology Llc Telecommunications endpoint for managing multi-conferencing
US20100007713A1 (en) 2008-07-09 2010-01-14 Yuzo Yamamoto Videoconferencing system using network
WO2010111867A1 (en) 2009-03-31 2010-10-07 华为终端有限公司 Managing method for distributed multipoint conference systems, apparatus and system thereof
US7933621B1 (en) 2005-12-06 2011-04-26 Nextel Communications Inc. Systems and methods for merging active talk groups
US20120278735A1 (en) 2011-04-27 2012-11-01 Research In Motion Limited Communication device for generating a conference provisioning data set
US20130108033A1 (en) 2011-10-31 2013-05-02 Research In Motion Limited Auto promotion and demotion of conference calls
2011-10-31 US US13/285,442 patent/US9020119B2/en active Active
Communication pursuant to Article 94(3) EPC, in corresponding European Patent Application 11187286.7, mailed Jun. 14, 2013 (6 pages).
Communication pursuant to Article 94(3) EPC, in corresponding European Patent Application 12169073.9, mailed Jun. 14, 2013 (6 pages).
Communication under Rule 71(3) EPC issued in European Application No. 11187303.0 on Dec. 20, 2013.
Extended European Search Report issued in European Application No. 11187299.0 on Apr. 4, 2012; 7 pages.
Extended European Search Report issued in European Application No. 11187303.0 on Mar. 22, 2012.
Extended European Search Report, dated Apr. 10, 2012, for European Patent Application No. 11187286.7.
Extended European Search Report, dated Jul. 5, 2012, for European Patent Application No. 12169073.9.
Floor control mechanism for Web Real-Time Communication (WebRTC) based conferences, Aug. 2012 (13 pages).
Invitation Pursuant to Article 94(3) and Rule 71(1) EPC issued in European Application No. 11187303.0 on Aug. 14, 2013.
Notice of Allowance issued in Canadian Application No. 2,793,432 on May 30, 2014; 1 page.
Notice of Allowance issued in U.S. Appl. No. 13/285,247 on Jul. 10, 2013; 6 pages.
Notice of Allowance issued in U.S. Appl. No. 13/285,737 on Aug. 21, 2013; 8 pages.
Notice of Allowance issued in U.S. Appl. No. 14/049,505 on Jun. 6, 2014; 6 pages.
Notice of Allowance issued in U.S. Appl. No. 14/049,505 on Oct. 2, 2014; 6 pages.
Office Action issued in Canadian Application No. 2,793,522 on May 27, 2014; 2 pages.
Office Action issued in European Application No. 11187303.0 on Jun. 24, 2013, 6 pages.
Office Action issued in U.S. Appl. No. 13/285,247 on Jan. 4, 2013; 9 pages.
Office Action issued in U.S. Appl. No. 13/285,247 on May 9, 2013; 9 pages.
Office Action issued in U.S. Appl. No. 13/285,737 on Dec. 6, 2012; 13 pages.
Office Action issued in U.S. Appl. No. 13/285,737 on May 9, 2013; 8 pages.
Office Action issued in U.S. Appl. No. 14/049,505 on Feb. 19, 2014; 10 pages.
Office Action mailed by the Canadian Patent Office in Canadian Patent Application No. 2,793,374. Mailed May 26, 2014. 3 pgs.
US20130108034A1 (en) 2013-05-02
US20080226051A1 (en) 2008-09-18 Techniques for managing a multimedia conference call
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:COLBERT, MICHAEL SCOTT;REEL/FRAME:029165/0456