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Internet conference call bridge management systemRelated Patent Categories: Telephonic Communications, Special Services, ConferencingInternet conference call bridge management system description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060072729, Internet conference call bridge management system. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND [0001] The present invention relates to a conferencing system and method. In particular, the invention pertains to a method and system with which a customer may initiate and efficiently moderate and control a telephone call between the customer and one or more additional parties over web-enabled appliances or devices. [0002] The prior art discloses a number of conference calling systems. Many of these prior art systems are enterprise systems that require specialized hardware switching components and/or software running on the systems of call participants. In recent years, web-based conference calling has overcome disadvantages that plagued the prior art systems. These web-based conference calling systems, however, lack some of the advantages of the present invention. In particular, the prior art systems do not provide the flexibility necessary to adapt to the variable demands placed on the systems depending on the number of call participants, fail to utilize pre-existing customer information to expedite the input of call contact information, and fail to provide a means to prevent various hardware devices including facsimile and answering machines from being bridged into a conference call. SUMMARY [0003] The invention pertains to an internet conference call bridge management (ICCBM) system and method with which a person having access to the Internet may efficiently input the contact number of at least one party with whom the customer wants to speak. The ICCBM system then calls the customer, calls the party or parties, and the audio signals are bridged in a manner that optimizes the call signal to noise ratio, minimizes demands placed on computing resources, and provides controls with which the customer may monitor and control the telephonic access of the other participants through the duration of the conference call. [0004] The ICCBM system of the present invention is operably coupled to the Internet and to the public switch telephone network (PSTN). A customer with an internet appliance, such as a computer, a web-enabled PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) or web-enabled telephone or radio device, browser software and Internet access may then remotely retrieve from the ICCBM system first output means, namely an interface, for prompting the customer from the internet appliance to enter contact information associated with the audio communication device of at least one call-receiving party. The first output means, generally includes one or more web pages providing the customer interface for entering the contact information, as well as other call parameters as inputs. The contact information includes, at a minimum, a contact number or a link to a contact number for each party to participate in the call. The contact number is generally the telephone number of the audio communication device owned or in the possession of the party, although the contact number may be an IP (Internet Protocol) address corresponding to an internet appliance to which audio data is transmitted and converted to an audio signal. [0005] The contact information entered by the customer is uploaded to the ICCBM system by first input means. Once uploaded, the call enabling means places a first telephone call to the audio communication device associated with customer, and subsequent telephone calls to the audio communication device of the one or more call-receiving parties. The calls placed by the system to the customer and to the call-receiving parties are then brought together by bridging means. In general, the first input means, call enabling means, and bridging means refers to the hardware and software of the ICCBM system used to control the execution of direct dial telephone calls, the bridging of these calls, as well as various regulatory functions including the maintenance of customer accounts and billing. The ICCBM system preferably and substantially resides on one or more servers that are operatively linked to the Internet, the PSTN, and one or more databases. [0006] In some embodiments of the invention, the bridging means includes two call bridging subsystems identified as first and second bridging means. The first bridging means, which operates where the total number of call participants is two, preferably redirects the audio signals originating from audio communication devices of the customer and call-recipient by re-routing the incoming signals to the other participant's device. Preferably, the first bridging means does no or insubstantial amount of processing of the audio signals themselves. The second bridging means, which operates on conference calls involving three or more participants, preferably decodes the analog or digital audio signals, provides the appropriate mixing, and then re-encodes the signals for transmission to the call participants. The ICCBM system of the present invention is scalable and can therefore support conference calls between any number of participants, while minimizing the expenditure of system resources and maximizing the signal to noise ratio where there are only two call participants. [0007] In some embodiments of the invention, the ICCBM system includes group-click means, which allows a customer to simultaneously initiate a call to a group of participants the customer would like to bring into simultaneous telephonic communication. In other embodiments the customer can consecutively select one or more parties to be added to the conference call. The group-click means is implemented in the form of hyper-link, such as hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) and equivalents, and is accessible to the customer via the internet appliance. The contact numbers from which the customer may select the additional participants are preferably included in a pre-existing database defined by the customer and maintained by the ICCBM system. These contact names and numbers are preferably organized into a logical classification referred to as a contact group. The HTTP link, once associated with the contact group, permits the customer to simultaneously select and input all the contact numbers of a group, thereby avoiding the need to individually enter or individually select the contact numbers of the parties. [0008] In some embodiments of the invention, the ICCBM system further includes call moderating means. In the preferred embodiment, the call moderating means is an interface through which the customer monitors the status of calls. Preferably, the interface indicates when a call is being dialed, connected, bridged, and disconnected. In some embodiments, the call moderating means further includes controls for permitting the customer to mute one or more parties, place one or more parties on hold, terminate the call to one or more parties, and record a call. [0009] In some embodiments of the invention, the ICCBM system includes a means for allowing two customers to contact one another while maintaining anonymity of at least one, preferably two, of the customers. [0010] In some embodiments of the invention, the ICCBM system further includes a means for monitoring the usage of the customer and his remaining balance and alerting the customer through a visual or audio notification. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0011] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the ICCBM system of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, various communication interfaces, and transport media. [0012] FIG. 2 is a flowchart of the method of generating a call from the system according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. [0013] FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating the method of executing a one-to-one telephone call using the ICCBM system of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. [0014] FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating the method of executing a conference call using the ICCBM system of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. [0015] FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating bridging network underlying a one-to-one telephone call using the ICCBM system of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. [0016] FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating bridging network underlying a conference call using the ICCBM system of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. [0017] FIG. 7 is an exemplary graphical user interface for prompting the customer to input the contact numbers of the customer contact number and the contact information for one or more additional participants to the call. [0018] FIG. 8 is an exemplary graphical user interface for presenting the customer with the anticipated charges based upon contact information provided. [0019] FIG. 9 is an exemplary graphical user interface for inputting or editing a customer's contact information. [0020] FIG. 10 is an exemplary graphical user interface for displaying the status of one or more pending calls prior initiation of a conference call. [0021] FIG. 11 is an exemplary graphical user interface for displaying the status of one or more pending calls concurrent-with an ongoing a conference call. Continue reading about Internet conference call bridge management system... Full patent description for Internet conference call bridge management system Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Internet conference call bridge management system patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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