Cisco Technology, Inc.

Starlight Networks, Inc.

Charles J Bedard

Shmuel Shaffer

Joseph M Gang, Jr

Randall B Baird

David A Edwards

James E Long

One method for joining a meet-me conference call includes establishing a communication channel, in response to a request to join a conference call; receiving, over the channel, information as to whether the conference call is still ongoing; and if the conference call is no longer ongoing, giving notification that the conference call is no longer ongoing. The communication channel can be a non-media-transport-supporting channel. If the information indicates that the conference call is still in progress, a media transport channel can be established.

Call optimization in meet-me conference calls

A method and system for extending Camp-On Capabilities to invitees to an ongoing conference call. In one embodiment, a persistent invitation is extended to a first network station client to join a conference call in response to a determination that the first network station client is unavailable to accept a non-persistent invitation to join the conference call, and the first network station client is added to the conference call when the first network station client accepts the persistent invitation to join the conference call. In another embodiment, a persistent invitation to join an ongoing conference call is presented to an initially unavailable network station client, and the persistent invitation to join the ongoing conference call is accepted in response to user input to a network station client including but not limited to the initially unavailable network station client and another network station client where the user has been authenticated.

Extending camp-on capabilities to invitees to an ongoing converence call

A method and system for adding a participant to a conference call. A feature of the method and system is that with respect to individual invitees to ad-hoc conference calls, the conference call can essentially be 'turned around' and treated 'as if' the individual invitees were dialing in to a &#x201c;meet-me&#x201d; conference call, if it is determined that such is the more optimum calling method. A multipoint controller unit, in conjunction with a Call Optimization Application (COA), utilizes information contained in one or more tokens to make possible the change in call direction. The optimal call direction is established via a COA channel.

Call optimization in ad-hoc conference calls

In one embodiment, a method for joining a meet-me conference call includes but is not limited to presenting an option to specify a quorum associated with a meet-me conference call, in response to user input to an application program co-resident with a terminal. In one embodiment, the user input includes but is not limited to an indication that the user is requesting to join a meet-me conference call. In one embodiment, the presenting an option to specify a quorum is done in response to the user input includes but is not limited to an indication that the user is requesting to specify a quorum either at the time at which a meet-me call is being scheduled, or at a time prior to a time at which a meet-me conference call is to transpire. In one embodiment, a method for adding a participant to a meet-me conference call includes but is not limited to querying a multipoint controller as to participants in or users waiting to join a meet-me conference call, in response to receiving a first message, from a Client Conference Manager Application co-resident with a terminal (Terminal-CCMA), that a user desires or is available to join a meet-me conference call; and sending a message containing the results of the querying to at least one Terminal-CCMA. In other embodiments, hardware and/or software effect the forgoing described method embodiments.

Quorums in meet-me conference calls

A method and system for adding a participant to a conference call. A feature of the method and system is that with respect to individual invitees to ad-hoc conference calls, the conference call can essentially be 'turned around' and treated 'as if' the individual invitees were dialing in to a &#x201c;meet me&#x201d; conference call, if it is determined that such is the more optimum calling method. A multipoint controller unit, in conjunction with a Call Optimization Application (COA), utilizes information contained in one or more tokens to make possible the change in call direction. The optimal call direction is established via a COA channel.

A method for joining a meet-me conference call includes establishing a Call Optimization Application (COA) channel between a Multipoint Controller-Call Optimization Application (MC-COA) and a Call Optimization Application co-resident with the terminal (Terminal-COA) following an address resolution, in response to an application program co-resident with a terminal receiving a request to join an ongoing meet-me conference call; receiving, over the COA channel, a first message from the MC-COA as to whether the meet-me conference call is still ongoing; and in response to the first message indicating that the meet-me conference call is no longer ongoing, giving notification that the meet-me conference call is no longer ongoing.

A method and system for maintaining a data collaboration conference. In one embodiment, a method includes but is not limited to monitoring for a presence of a first general conference controller having top provider status, and promoting at least a second general conference controller one level in status hierarchy in response to the monitoring indicating that the first general conference controller is no longer viable. In one embodiment, hardware and software are utilized to effect the foregoing described method. In one embodiment, a method includes but is not limited to monitoring for the presence of a first general conference controller having top provider status; promoting at least a second general conference controller one level in status hierarchy in response to the monitoring indicating that the first general conference controller is no longer viable; and directing that the second general conference controller assume to provider status, in response to a determination that the second general conference controller has been promoted to top provider status. In one embodiment, hardware and software are utilized to effect the foregoing described method.

Maintaining data collaboration conferences

A local area network for supporting video applications comprises a transmission medium, one or more data file servers connected to the transmission medium for supporting data applications in the local area network, a dedicated video server for supporting video applications in the local area network and one or more clients connected to the local area network. The server includes software for managing multiple simultaneous video streams transmitted across the LAN. The client includes software for accessing the dedicated video server across the LAN to transmit video to the server or receive video from the server.

Growing community of inventors

Saratoga, CA, United States of America

Charles J Bedard