Patent ID: 8498395

Claim:
A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to provide a telephone conference, the providing comprising: receiving a status message of a party to the telephone conference, wherein the telephone conference requires each party to the telephone conference to log-in before participating in the telephone conference, and the status message is sent as an email and is received before the party logs-in to the telephone conference; determining from the status message whether the party will be able to attend the telephone conference; when it is determined that the party cannot attend the telephone conference, converting the status message into audio that is saved in an audio file; and automatically log-in to the telephone conference for the party and notifying a teleconference bridge that the party associated with the status message will not be able to attend the telephone conference, wherein the teleconference bridge creates an entry in a repository indicating that the party will need a voice proxy from the audio file; wherein, during the telephone conference, the status of the party is provided to other parties to the telephone conference by playing the audio file.