Conference calling

Details Conference calling Conference calling

2002-09-06

2004-06-08

Ramakrishnaiah, Melur (Department: 2643)

Television

Two-way video and voice communication

C348S014080, C348S014090

Reexamination Certificate

active

06747685

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the implementation of conference calls in communication systems.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Telecommunication systems are conventionally able to set up and conduct conference calls, i.e. calls in which users of more than two communication units, such as telephones, mobile telephones, computers, participate in a call.
It is known to identify the caller at the beginning of a telephone call by displaying the caller's telephone number and then possibly displaying information about the caller. U.S. Pat. No. 6,020,916 describes a kind of videoconference, which displays pictures of all participants in addition to their voice. WO-0105136 enables personal data (credit-card number, social security number, etc) to be sent to the other party during a phone call. WO-0075801 sends customised advertisements along with conversation data. WO-0103406 allows a picture of the caller to be sent at the beginning of a call.
However, these known forms of identification, developed for simple one-to-one calls, do not alleviate a disadvantage that arises with conference calls, as follows. A disadvantage with conventional arrangements for conference calls involving several speakers is that the conversation quickly becomes anonymous, since there are difficulties in identifying who is currently speaking. Most of the time speakers have to identify themselves each time they take the floor. This quickly becomes tedious. Furthermore, when a speaker forgets to identify himself/herself, it becomes difficult to know from whom the last ideas emanated.
In WO0105136, data and voice cannot be sent simultaneously—there is a manual switch between them.
Presentation of the caller phone number, WO-0075801, U.S. Pat. No. 6,020,916 and WO-0103406 do not help to track the caller in real-time during the conference call. More specifically, WO-0075801 uses the speaker profile to send him advertisements, not to spread it to the other users.
Thus, there exists a need in the field of the present invention to provide an improved way of conducting conference calls such that the abovementioned disadvantages may be alleviated.
STATEMENT OF INVENTION
In a first aspect, the present invention provides a method of conducting a conference call, as claimed in claim
1
.
In a second aspect, the present invention provides a communication system for carrying out a conference call, as claimed in claim
11
.
In a third aspect, the present invention provides apparatus for conducting a conference call.
In a fourth aspect, the present invention provides a communication unit for participating in a conference call.
In a fifth aspect, the present invention provides a storage medium.
Further aspects are as claimed in the dependent claims.


REFERENCES:
patent: 1 009 148 (2000-06-01), None
patent: 2 799 914 (2001-04-01), None
patent: 402237358 (1990-09-01), None
Charlet et al. ; Telephone Conference System . . . to identify each current speaker; Apr. 19, 2001; WO 200128214A1.

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