Method of organising a conference call

p0001The present invention relates to the organization of a conference between several distant people, specifically between the conference organizer and more participants. For example, the conference is a conference call, also known as multipoint conference held between several telephone terminals of participants via dedicated equipment called conference bridge.

p0002More particularly, the invention is directed to the reservation of the conference in a conference reservation server to reserve the necessary resources in a conference bridge that will be available on a given date of the conference.

p0003Currently, a conference call, also called telephone or teleconference meeting is reserved by the organizer or occasional basis or by subscription, giving the conference reservation server directly or by an operator, the date, time the duration and the number of conference participants. In response, the reservation server assigns a telephone bridge number to the reserved conference is transmitted to the conference organizer. So that participants are notified of the establishment of the conference, the conference organizer must prevent himself all participants by providing the details of the conference, namely the date, time and duration as well naturally the topic that will be addressed during the conference, and the call bridge number. The conference organizer must therefore itself prevent each participant for example by phone or email to provide the characteristics of the conference.

p0004The document <patcit id="pcit0001" dnum="WO0152513A"><text>WO 01/52513</text></patcit> discloses a method to coordinate conference calls.

p0005The document <patcit id="pcit0002" dnum="EP0999686A"><text>EP 0999686</text></patcit> describes a method for establishing a conference call.

p0006The<b>goal</b> principal of the invention is to unload the conference organizer by automating the communication features of the conference to the various participants. This automation requires no download of any application in the terminals of the participants, or registering for any service, nor a connection to a particular application service for each participant is notified of the conference features.

p0007To achieve this objective, the invention provides a method for organizing a conference between an organizer and participants with several terminals connected to a telecommunications network respectively, through a reservation server called from the organizer's terminal to book one of several conference management means. The method comprises the steps of:<ul><li>transmission participants notification means addresses from the organizer terminal to the reservation server that stores,</li><li>automatic notification of invitation messages by the reservation server to the means of communication participants specified by the stored addresses,</li><li>selecting a conference management means available for the conference by the reservation server,</li><li>means the designation of data conference management (PCm) selected participants terminals.</li></ul>

p0008For example if a person, said organizer wants to go that evening to the movies with his friends, participants said, and decided to discuss with them the choice of film, the invention gives the possibility to book a conference that dialogue Live with all his friends. With automatic notification means for notifying friends, such as free telephone and / or mail, friends will be automatically notified of the existence of this conference and will receive invitation messages including the conference features needed for connect their devices through reserved conference management, such as a conference bridge.

p0009The invention also aims to facilitate the terminal connection for each participant in a conference available management resources without the Participant entering any address or number, for example relating to the booking server or to a conference management means likely to be available.

p0010To this end, in a first embodiment, each invitation message transmitted by the booking server and received by a terminal includes, besides the characteristics of the conference, a link to connect the terminal to one of the conference management means . This link may designate explicitly or the address of a conference management means already booked or to book later in the booking server before the conference.

p0011For example, the link is a hyperlink including a masked redirect address in the reservation server. In this example, the participant selects a terminal hyperlink that points to the hidden forwarding address to connect the terminal to the booking server and redirect the terminal connection and the reservation server available to conference management means . This feature of the invention allows the booking server to decide himself booking a conference management means, not immediately after receipt of the participating terminals addresses, but after this reception, to optimize the occupation of resources in conference management means. In particular, the reservation server can book a conference management means available significantly before the time of the conference planned by the organizer and forwarded to the addresses of participants means of notification to the reservation server.

p0012In another example, the link is a hyperlink including an address of the available conference management means. In this example, the participant selects a terminal hyperlink that points to the address of the available conference management means to connect to the terminal.

p0013In a variant of the first embodiment, the available conference management means is selected by the reservation server before notification of invitation messages to the booking server introduce the address of available conference management means in messages invitation.

p0014In a second embodiment, the reservation means selects a conference management means available that reports itself from participants. The process then comprises, after the selection of available conference management means, transmitting a notification command message from the reservation server using reserved conference, push notifications including a hyperlink address of including a means conference management available to the terminals of the participants, and a selection of the hyperlink that points to said address in each terminal to connect to the available conference management means. The notifications including the hyperlink can be transmitted to the means of notification by the conference management server available significantly before the time of the conference planned by the organizer and forwarded with the addresses of the means of notification of participants in the booking server.

p0015To organize the conference, each invitation message may include providing time data, such as date, time and duration of the conference, and the theme of the conference which are transmitted with the addresses of the means of notification of participants by the organizer of the terminal reservation server so that the server booking transmit invitation messages including time stamp data and the theme of the conference by means of notification.

p0016No special hardware is required at each participant. A simple phone terminal may suffice. Preferably the reservation server fits the playback modes means for notifying participants. In this case, the organizer terminal transmits the playback modes indicators participants notification means in association with the addresses thereof to the reservation server respectively so that the invitation messages transmitted to the communication means are adapted the reservation server respectively according to the playback modes notification means. For example, an invitation message is a digital voice message to a conventional landline or mobile telephone associated with a voicemail or text message to a terminal of the personal computer type that can check an email message or an email fax or a mobile telephone associated with a mail short messages.

p0017The invention also relates to a conference booking server for a conference between an organizer and several participants respectively having terminals connected to a telecommunications network. The server includes means for storing notification means participants addresses transmitted by the organizer terminal after it has called the reservation server to reserve one of several conference management means, and means for automatically notify invitation messages to the means of notification of participants designated by the stored addresses. The server further comprises a means for selecting an available conference management means for the conference and a transmission means conference management using the designating data selected participants to the terminals.

p0018The booking server may also include a message adapter to convert a portion of a message sent by the organizer terminal portions of invitation messages to the means of notification of participants are as play mode indicators for notification means.

p0019Other features and advantages of the present invention appear more clearly on reading the following description of several preferred embodiments of the invention, by way of nonlimiting examples, with reference to the corresponding accompanying drawings in which:<ul><li>the <figref idrefs="f0001">figure 1</figref> is a block diagram of a telecommunications network between terminals of several conference participants and conference booking server to implement the conference organizing process of the invention; and</li><li>the <figref idrefs="f0002">figures 2</figref> and <figref idrefs="f0003">3</figref> are steps of algorithms conference organization process of the first and second embodiments of the invention, respectively.</li></ul>

p0020For the implementation of the conference management method according to the embodiment illustrated in <figref idrefs="f0001">figures 1</figref> and <figref idrefs="f0002">2</figref>It is assumed that a conference is to organize between N = 4 participants P0 to P3 = P (N-1) which each have at least one respective terminal TE = TE3 TE0 to (N-1). All terminals are voice type so as to establish a voice conference, also called audio conferencing. However, alternatively, all terminals may be of the video type to establish a videoconference, or may be the textual kind to establish a conference by exchanging text messages.

p0021All terminals TE1, TE (N-1) are connected to a CBC conference reservation server through a telecommunication network RT comprising at least the switched telephone network PSTN and a packet network such as the Internet RP.

p0022According to the illustrated embodiment, the terminal TE0 is that of P0 conference organizer reserves the conference in the SRC reservation server. TE0 the terminal is a mobile telephone terminal connected to the switched telephone network PSTN through a digital cellular radio network RA0, as access network. TE0 The terminal has a browser and in particular has access to applications implemented in SW information web server that serves as a portal to mobile devices in the RA0 cellular radio network. In practice, the TE0 terminal has access to WAP applications (Wireless Application Protocol) through a SA Access server interconnected between the radio network and RA0 Internet RP. The SA server acts as a conversion gateway between the transport protocol WTP (Wireless Transfer Protocol) applications compatible with WAP and HTTP transport protocol (HyperText Transfer) applicable in the SW server so that the terminal and the TE0 SW server exchange data in WML (Wireless Markup Language). Alternatively, instead of the SA Access server, communications for WAP applications TE0 between the terminal and the web server SW are made through a packet switching network with mobility management and access by GPRS radio channel ( General Packet Radio Service).

p0023In a WAP application menu offered by the server SW, the organizer can choose P0 on its terminal TE0 a conferencing application of the invention so that booking a conference be performed from the TE0 terminal in the booking server SRC through the server SW.

p0024According to a more concentrated Alternatively, the web server SW hosts a conference reservation application according to the invention which is illustrated physically in a distinct manner within the CRS to the server <figref idrefs="f0001">figure 1</figref>.

p0025The organizer TE0 terminal receives voice message notifications from an answering machine MN0, also said voicemail associated with it in the RA0 radio network.

p0026The TE1 terminal P1 participant is a fixed telephone terminal connected to the switched telephone network RTC by a conventional telephone line. The terminal TE1 is also associated with a voice mail answering machine MN1 kind in the PSTN telephone network.

p0027P2 participant has a radio terminal TE2 connected to the switched telephone network RTC through a digital cellular radio network RA2 as the access network. To notify a message to P2 participant, the short message center is given in a short message server (SC Service Center) MN2 connected firstly to the Internet RP, and secondly to the radio network RA2 through an intermediary access network RI such as a transmission network of the X.25 type packets, a digital network ISDN service, or an ATM network.

p0028The terminal TE = TE3 (N-1) P3 participant is a personal computer that is connected to the switched telephone network RTC by a fixed link, for example an ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line). Messages for the P3 participant can be deposited in an electronic mail message (email) assigned to it in a MN3 mail server which is connected to the Internet RP.

p0029Messages deposited in the courier MN2 and MN3 servers can be hypertext, that is to say containing hyperlinks.

p0030Voice recorders MN0 and MN1, MN2 short message server and mail server MN3 are awarded for example to TE0 terminals respectively TE3 participants P0 to P3, and constitute notification means for notifying messages invitation to participate in a conference, as discussed below.

p0031In other embodiments, other means of communication can be attributed to TE0 terminals TE3. For example, the terminal TE3 is notified by a voice message or voice mail of fixed telephone answering machine types instead of an e-mail message, the terminal TE2 is notified by an answering machine voicemail type instead of a mail short messages, etc.

p0032In a more comprehensive alternative, one of the terminals TE TE0 to (N-1) is associated with a UM that combines several means of notification such as a voice message recorder answering machine connected to the PSTN switched telephone network or network radiotelephone associated with the terminal, a short message receiver interconnected between the internet RP and the associated radio network, an electronic mail messaging, for example supported by a POP server type (Post Office Protocol), and a connected fax recorder the switched telephone network.

p0033In general, a notification means is consulted by the participant to check whether a message was left there, or notify the filing of a message to the terminal if the associated participant refused to receive the message directly from the terminal. Depending on the notification means, it can repeat the notification as long as the associated terminal has not recorded or played for a reading or listening by the participant. A notification means may be confused with the same terminal to the network RT, that is to say the means of communication and the terminal offer a common address including CBC server, as is the case when the means notification is an integrated answering machine in the telephone terminal or connected to the telephone line connected to a telephone terminal.

p0034In addition, a given terminal TE2 such as a mobile phone, a computer or TE3 modern landline TE1 has a memory that stores the last telephone numbers and addresses of callers terminals and servers that called the given terminal, according a caller ID / caller address CLIP kind (calling Line Identification presentation). The participant of the given terminal may subsequently select the number / address of a caller terminal and server to establish a communication / connection therewith.

p0035In the following description, an "address" AD1 to AD (N-1) of a notifying means MN0 to MN (N-1) associated with a terminal is regarded as a telephone number of the telephone terminal such as the terminal TE1 to an answering machine or MN1 such as a mail short messages in the terminal MN2 server or as an e-mail address of an email message in the terminal MN3 server.

p0036As also shown in <figref idrefs="f0001">figure 1</figref>M MCUs PC1 to PCM are connected to the switched telephone network RTC. Each conference bridge PCm 1 ≤ m ≤ M is an MC dedicated to managing multiple conference calls, real-time managing the course of these conferences with the call of the bridge by the participants in each conference, the withdrawal of a participant in the initiative of the organizer or participant himself, specific indications for the organizer of a conference, speakers identifications, an organization of votes, a word of limitation for at least a specific participant, etc. An MCU can simultaneously manage dozens of conferences, each with several participants and thus provide access to hundreds of telephone communications with participating terminals. Within the meaning of the invention, a conference management means includes all or part of the resources of a bridge to hold at least one conference call.

p0037In practice, the MCUs are distributed in a given area, such as a country. Alternatively, at least one of the MCUs PC1 to PCM is connected to the conference reservation server CBC through a dedicated link.

p0038CRS booking server has known functions of a website server to be called by the P0 conference organizer and send him a form to establish the conference, and includes a communication facility AA PLC to call the means of notification to MN0 MN (N-1) of the participants of the conference to organize. In particular, the memory of the SRC server includes a table TB to associate the coordinates of the participants in each conference, and in particular to associate the coordinates of P0 organizer, such as name, possibly his name and address AD0 average MN0 notification of the organizer and possibly the address of TE0 terminal or other terminal of the organizer, the addresses AD1 to AD (N-1) means for notifying other participants P1 to P (N 1).

p0039Each address AD0 to AD (N-1) a notification means is preferably associated with a MD0 indicator MD (N-1) specifying the message playback mode in the notification means when the SRC server supports different modes reading notification means. For example, play modes are a voice mode for voice messages in the recorders-responders MN0 and MN1, a text mode for text messages in the means of notification MN2 and MN3, and a video mode for picture messages or audiovisual for MN3 notification means. The SRC comprises an AD server then message adapter that converts at least a portion of a message transmitted by the TE0 organizer terminal of invitation messages to the notification means MN0 to MN (N-1)) of the participants P0 to P (N-1) respectively according to the playback mode indicators MD0 to MD (N-1) notification means MN0 MN (N-1).

p0040For example, if the TE0 terminal PO organizer sends a message including DH timestamp data indicating the date, time and duration of the conference and the TC theme of the conference in the form of a text in a form, AD Message adapter in the server CBC is then analogous to a voice server and converted by speech synthesis DH TC and text data in a part of a digitized voice message. Voice recorders MN0 and MN1 can reproduce the voice message to be heard, after notification of the receipt of the voice message to the respective participants P0 and P1.

p0041The preliminary organization of a conference between P0 participants TP3 = PE (N-1) initiated by P0 organizer since TE0 terminal essentially comprises steps E1 to E10, as shown in <figref idrefs="f0002">2</figref>.

p0042To book a conference, the organizer P0 calls from his radio TE0 SW terminal server through the radio network RA0, the SA Access server and the Internet RP. Then P0 organizer selects the menu of applications submitted by the SW server and displayed in the terminal TE0 telephone conferencing application so as to establish a communication between the WAP TE0 telephone terminal and CRS booking server that was called SW by the server, in step E1. In the following steps E2 to E9, the exchange of messages between the terminal and the SRC TE0 reservation server pass through the server SW.

p0043In the next step E2, SRC reservation server transmits to the terminal TE0 a form that is received WML P0 to ask the organizer to indicate the characteristics of the conference that he wants to organize. Conference features include the name and P0 name of the organizer, address AD0 and playback mode indicator MD0 MN0 the notification means by which the organizer wishes may be notified of the reservation of MCU available later selected by the SRC server, DH timestamp data such as date, time and duration of the conference organizing, the TC theme expressed in a few words the conference such as " choosing a movie tomorrow night, "and pairs of address and playback mode indicator (AD1, MD1) to (AD (N-1), MD (N-1)) MN1 notification means MN (N-1) N-1 = 3 participants P1 to P3 = P (N-1) by which the participants would be notified of the conference features. And in step E3, the TE0 terminal transmits the characteristics of the conference to be organized, that is to say, at least the addresses AD0 to AD (N-1) means for notifying participants that can be entered directly keyboard or in an address book, the SRC reservation server whose TB aforementioned memory stores the table.

p0044In step E4, a middle deck load balancer included in the booking server SRC research into useful TGP management tables in the management of conference bridges if a slot having at least the expected duration of the conference to date and time indicated by the time data is available.

p0045If no conference bridge is available as the DH time data transmitted by the terminal TE0 organizer, SRC server sends a message to the terminal TE0 inviting organizer P0 to later recall the CRS server in step E5. In practice, the SRC server can accept bookings conference on an internal waiting list represent 10% to 30% of all MCU resources when this set is already fully booked, in view of withdrawals later by the organizers. A conference bridge reservation entered in the waiting list will be considered below as a reservation of available conference bridge.

p0046If one PCm conference bridges PC1 to PCM is likely to be available in correspondence with the DH timestamp data in step E4, SRC reservation server transmits an acknowledgment message to the terminal to confirm TE0 P0 to organizing the booking is confirmed in step E6. The message acknowledgment contains no selected MCU address but includes INV invitation to "join the conference" specific to the invention and described below. When the conference is not to organize immediately to book a conference bridge predetermined result in unnecessary capital resource in a conference bridge. After booking this phase, the SRC server remembers the characteristics of the conference organizing.

p0047In the next step E7, the AA call controller then calls automatically means of notification to MN1 MN (N-1) other participants P1 to P (N-1), some of which can be called with the associated terminals to transmit them a message of invitation to attend the conference. The invitation message is recorded in the means of notification and includes, in addition DH time data, P0 the name of the organizer of the conference and the TC theme to be discussed during the conference, as well as invitation INV to "join the conference" specific to the invitation.

p0048The message of invitation to attend the conference transmitted by the AA automated call to a notification means to MN1 MN (N-1) in step E7 is previously adapted to the play mode notification means according MD1 indicator MD (N-1) in the AD message adapter. The message to the answering machine MN1 is a voice message synthesized by the AD message adapter in the SRC server; the message to the mail short messages in the server MN2 is a short message formatted by the adapter AD in the SRC server; the message to the e-mail message in the MN3 server is an electronic mail message formatted by the adapter AD server in the SRC.

p0049If the participant P1 is present when receiving the invitation message to participate in the conference, it picks up the handset of his TE1 terminal to listen to the message; otherwise the message is saved in the answering machine MN1 which preferably notify him of the deposit of this message, for example at the next stall handset terminal TE1. Regarding the P2 participant, depositing the message of invitation to attend a conference in the MN2 server is notified by a message immediately ran to the terminal TE2 radio if it is not out to cover the P2 participant consults the short message soon. The invitation message transmitted to participate in a conference MN3 mail server is stored by it and will be consulted by the P3 participant from his personal computer to the next consultation TE3 its email messaging server in the MN3.

p0050The invitation "to join the conference" INV specific to the invention and included in each invitation message part contains an external link that points to a hidden preference AM predetermined address that is linked to a conference bridge to book by SRC server, as will be explained below. Hiding the address AM relative to the content displayed or listened to each participant terminal prevents the terminal from participating stores an address to attend a conference. Where the means of notification of a participant terminal, such as a mail server or in the MN2 MN3 receives text messages, the invitation message is a small page hypertext eg WML (Wireless Markup Language) or HTML (HyperText Markup Language). In the display contents of this small page, the text "join the conference" is highlighted in an active area pointer of a hypertext link to the address masked AM. For example, in the invitation message, the invitation INV is presented following the TH theme of the proposed conference and can be: "If you want to attend the conference, see this message and click" join the conference " the date and time of the conference. " Similarly, when the means of notification is the vocal type, such as recorders responders MN0 and MN1, the invitation message is a small voice page written such language VXML (Voice Extensible Markup Language) and including the voice prompt "if you want to attend the conference, see this message and say" join the conference "the date and time of the conference" in which voice active zone "to join the conference" is pointing the masked AM address.

p0051In a first embodiment shown in <figref idrefs="f0002">2</figref>The masked AM address included in the message of invitation to participate and to which the hyperlink text or voice peak, is a type URL redirection address (Universal Resource Locator). This redirection address refers to a predetermined path that is established by the bridge load balancer in the SRC booking server and is used to subsequently redirect the connection, including IP voice (Internet Protocol), between the terminal of the participant and SRC server to a conference bridge PCm available.

p0052In step E8, the load balancer in the SRC server and decides itself to suit different tasks it must perform the time, before the scheduled time by the organizer for the conference, to select resources available in one PCm conference bridges, without disclosing the address of the bridge explicitly to the organizers and participants in the previous steps E6 and E7. For example, when the conference is scheduled in a few days, the load balancer in the SRC server can select the resources available in a MCU at peak hours of traffic, for example at night or substantially minutes before the scheduled time for the conference. The delayed selection of resources in a conference bridge enables better optimize the occupancy load balancer through lectures distributed MCUs PC1 to PCM avoiding tying up much needed resources in them and so better manage the waiting list.

p0053If a participant requests a connection with CRS server before the time of the conference, the SRC server refuses to tell him.

p0054As indicated in step E9, the date and time indicated by DH time data contained in the message notified invitation to participate, each participant P0 to P (N-1) consult the invitation message recorded in his notification means MN0 MN (N-1) and selects the INV active zone or by speaking, or by clicking "join the conference."

p0055In step E10, the selection of the active area in the INV invitation by saying "join the conference" in TE0 terminal TE1 and validation, as called party number, the address AM of caller who sent the invitation message in the notification means MN0, MN1, triggers the call of booking server CBC to an input thereof designated by the PM number is a direct selection type number on arrival temporarily reserved for the conference to be organized. In response to this call, the SRC server abuts the connection with the TE0 terminal TE1 to a connection with the MCU selected PCm.

p0056A step E10, when the user of the terminal TE2, TE3 click on the active area in the INV invitation, the terminal TE2, TE3 Participant application automatically establishing a terminal connection to the path designated by the 'hidden address in the SRC AM reservation server. This path redirects the connection to the address APCM MCU PCm reserved.

p0057Participants P0 to P (N-1) and enter the conference, their terminals are connected to the conference bridge available PCm selected.

p0058In a first variant of the first embodiment, the address masked AM included in the invitation message is the address of APCM MCU PCm the reservation server has selected SRC as available at the time of the conference in response to the characteristics of the conference that were transmitted by the terminal TE0 organizer in step E3. In this variant, step E8 is thus between the steps E4 and E6. A step E9, the selection of the active area INV in the invitation message to participate consulted by each participant leads to establishment of a terminal connection TE0 TE (N-1) participating in the reserved conference bridge PCm.

p0059In a second simpler variant, SRC reservation server selects in step E8 above the E6 and E7 steps, resources in a conference bridge available and introduced PCm address APCM bridge PCm available in messages invitation notified to the terminal to the steps E6 and E7. The address APCM which replaces the AM masked address is read by each of the participants P0 to P (N-1) and is used at the time of the conference call directly to the MCU PCm available to connect the terminal to TE0 TE (N-1) of the participant instead of E9 and E10 steps.

p0060In a second embodiment shown in <figref idrefs="f0003">3</figref>The INV invitation with the hyperlink in the invitation messages to participate in the E6 and E7 steps is replaced by a subsequent notification of information without type hyperlink conference: "You will be subsequently notified a few minutes before the conference for your participation at the conference ", to stages and E6a E7a.

p0061After the bridge load balancer has selected the resources available in the PCM conference bridge at the E8a step according to this second embodiment, the CBC transmits a server CN notification control message including the DH characteristics, TC and (ADO, MDO) to (AD (N-1), MD (N-1)) to the conference bridge selected PCm via the internet RP, in a step E81. In response to the message CM, the PCm bridge establishes a second notification containing a hyperlink with INV invitation "to join the conference" of the type: "if you want to immediately participate in the call, click-on / say" join the conference "" . The hyperlink and contains active zone "to join the conference" that points to the APCM telephone number of the conference bridge booked PCm, as an address masked AM.

p0062In a next step E82 substantially performed at the time of the conference according to the DH timestamp data, the MCU transmits booked PCm second notifications <APCM AM => INV to TE0 to terminals TE (N-1) of participants adapting the second notifications to playback modes respectively MD0 to MD (N-1) means of communication MN0 to MN (N-1) terminals, as for the first notifications in steps E6a and E7a. This adaptation is carried out beforehand by the PCm bridge that includes a message adapter, or the CRS server adapter AD and established beforehand transmits notifications second bridge PCm. Then the participants P0 to P (N-1) select the active area in the INV invitation in the second notifications to participate in the conference in PCm bridge to E9a step. In the next step E10a and in a manner analogous to step E10, the pronunciation of the active area in TE0 and terminals TE1 and redial caller in the means of notification MN0 and MN1, as AM = APCM that number, and the button click from the active area in the terminal TE2 and TE3 respectively trigger terminal connections to institutions TE0 TE (N-1) to the conference bridge PCm selected via the PSTN.