The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 22, 2004
Filed:
Aug. 31, 1999
William Jackson Bushnell, St. Charles, IL (US);
Other;
Abstract
A “Call Me” conference call system includes a multiport conference unit (MCU) interconnected with the public switched telecommunications network (PSTN), a telecommunications switching system also interconnected with the PSTN, a service control point (SCP) or other intelligent network control component having at least a signaling connection to the switching system, a Call Me conference bridge reservation system interconnected with the SCP and the MCU, and suitable facilities interconnecting these components. When a conference reservation is made, information regarding the conference is distributed to the SCP and MCU. A “Called Party Busy” trigger is applied to the conference host's line. To join the conference, the host and participants alike simply call the host's telephone number. The switching system, finding the host's line busy, queries the SCP, which instructs it to redirect the call to the MCU. The MCU associates the call with a reserved conference by matching the called number with a host's telephone number in reservation records. This advantageously avoids the need for hosts to distribute, and participants to receive a special conference bridge telephone number or access code.