Telephonic communications – Special services – Conferencing
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-21
2001-10-16
Smith, Creighton (Department: 2742)
Telephonic communications
Special services
Conferencing
C379S204010, C348S014160
Reexamination Certificate
active
06304648
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to telecommunications networks and, more particularly, to multimedia communications networks for providing multimedia service and the like including voice, video, image and/or data.
It is known in certain telecommunications systems to employ conferencing capabilities such that more than two callers or participants to a call may communicate with each other for the duration of the call. Additionally, certain multimedia telecommunications conference systems attempt to simulate face to face meetings of the call participants. Such conference systems permit separate meeting participants to communicate with one another in multiple media such as voice, video, image and/or data from their own calling location without requiring that they convene in the same place.
During a conference call in known multimedia telecommunications conference calling systems, it is generally problematic for participants of the call to follow the pace of the call especially in situations involving multi-site participants. It has been found that often times it is difficult and confusing for the participant to determine who is actually speaking during the conference call. Often this is the case when the individual participants to the call are not familiar with one another, e.g. a newly formed team for a company project. Therefore, there is a need in the art for coordinating the activities of the participants to a conference call including in the multimedia environment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The problems noted above are solved in accordance with the present invention which provides a conference coordination system to coordinate the activities of a participant to a conference call. The inventive system and method further provides coordination of image, data and/or video of a speaker with the voice of the speaker to enable conference participants to relate to the voice with identification of the speaking participant.
In accordance with the present invention a method and system of identifying a call participant to a conference call having a plurality of call participants communicating via a telecommunication system is performed by detecting a presence of voice signals during the conference call and associating call participant identification information with the voice signals in response to the detection of the voice signals. A visual indication identifying a speaking call participant is established at at least one communication device to the conference call when the identified call participant speaks.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5710591 (1998-01-01), Bruno et al.
patent: 5936662 (1999-08-01), Kim et al.
patent: 6020915 (2000-02-01), Bruno et al.
Lucent Technologies - Inc.
Smith Creighton
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