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Mobile Phone Patent Abstract
A method of making a mobile phone invite multiple remote parties
for a multiparty conference through a mobile phone service network,
comprises the steps of setting the mobile phone to a multiparty
conference mode, searching a subscriber table in which are stored
the multiple remote parties to find out what phone numbers to call;
transmitting a set-up command asking for connection of the first
remote party to the network; holding the connection upon receiving
its confirmation from the network; transmitting another set-up command
asking for connection of the next remote party to the network; transmitting
a multiparty conference request (MPTY request) to the network to
join the present active call of the next remote party with the previous
call, now holding, of the first remote party upon receiving the
confirmation of the next remote party's connection; holding the
joined call of the first and next remote parties; repeating the
previous fifth to seventh steps until joining the last remote party;
and commencing the multiparty conference.
Mobile Phone Patent Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method of making a mobile phone invite multiple remote parties
for a remote multiparty conference through a mobile phone service
network, comprising the steps of: storing multiple remote parties
calling information in a subscriber table; setting said mobile phone
to a multiparty conference mode; retrieving the multiple remote
parties calling information from the subscriber table; searching
a subscriber table to find out what phone numbers to call; transmitting
a set-up command asking for connection of a first remote party to
said network; holding the first party connection upon receiving
network confirmation of the first party connection; transmitting
another set-up command asking for connection of a next remote party
to said network; transmitting a multiparty conference request to
join the present active connection of the next remote party with
the holding connection of the first remote party upon receiving
network confirmation of the next remote party connection; putting
the joined connection of said first and next remote parties on hold;
repeating the previous seventh to ninth steps until joining the
last remote party; and commencing said multiparty conference.
2. A method as defined in claim 1, including the further steps
of: repeating the transmission of a set-up command asking for connection
of one of the multiple remote parties by a predetermined number
of times upon not receiving network confirmation of the connection
of said remote party because said remote party is in communication
with another person; and excluding said remote party from said multiparty
conference when the transmission of said set-up command has been
repeated a predetermined number of times in vain or said remote
party is not in communication with another person.
3. A method of making a multiparty conference call on a mobile
phone, comprising the steps of: a) storing calling information of
remote multiple parties; b) transmitting a set-up command requesting
connection of a first remote party; c) receiving a confirmation
of connection set-up; d) putting the connection on hold; e) transmitting
a set-up command requesting connection of a next remote party; f)
receiving a confirmation of connection set-up; g) transmitting a
multiparty conference request to join a previous connection with
a present connection; h) putting the joined connection on hold;
and i) repeating steps e)-h) until connection set-up has been attempted
for all of the remote multiple parties.
4. The method as defined in claim 3, wherein the initiating step
further comprises the steps of: retrieving the stored calling information;
establishing an order of calling; and setting up the multiparty
conference call.
Mobile Phone Patent Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile phone, and more particularly,
to a method of making a multiparty conference call for conferring
with multiple parties on a mobile phone.
2. Description of the Related Art
A multiparty conference call on a mobile phone is a conference
with multiple remote parties using mobile phone services. FIGS.
1A and 1B illustrate a conventional method for a mobile phone subscriber
to have a conference with four remote parties using mobile phone
services. In step 110, the conference inviter sets the mobile phone
to multiparty conference mode. In response, the mobile phone displays
a message requesting the phone number of the first remote party
to participate in the conference. After the inviter inputs the phone
number of the first remote party in step 120, the mobile phone transmits
a set-up command asking for the connection of the first remote party
to the service network in step 130.
Upon receiving the connection confirmation from the service network
in step 140, the inviter inputs a hold command asking the network
to put the first remote party on hold in step 150. If there is no
confirmation of connection at step 140, the process returns to step
120. Subsequently receiving the confirmation of the hold command
at step 160, the inviter inputs the phone number of the second remote
party at step 170. At step 180, a set-up command asking for the
connection of the second remote party to the service network is
transmitted. After receiving in step 190 the connection confirmation
from the service network, the inviter inputs a join key through
a menu in step 200. If there is no connection confirmation, the
process returns to step 170.
Continuing through block A to FIG. 1B, once the inviter inputs
the join key, the mobile phone transmits, in step 210, a multiparty
conference request (MPTY request) to the service network, which
joins the previous call, now holding, of the first remote party
and the present active call of the second remote party to form a
combined active call. Receiving the confirmation of the MPTY request
from the service network in step 220, the mobile phone transmits,
in step 230, a hold command asking the network to hold the combined
active call. Receiving, in step 240, the confirmation of the hold
command from the network, the inviter inputs the phone number of
the third remote party at step 250, so that, at step 260, the mobile
phone transmits a set-up command asking the connection of the third
remote party to the network.
Upon receiving the confirmation of the connection, at step 270,
the inviter inputs a join key, at step 280, resulting in the mobile
phone transmitting, at step 290, an MPTY request to the network,
which joins the previous combined active call, now on hold, and
the present active call of the third remote party to form a final
combined active call. If there is no confirmation at step 270, the
process returns to step 250. Upon receiving confirmation of the
MPTY request from the network at step 300, the mobile phone commences
the actual multiparty conference at step 310. Thus, the conventional
method of making a multiparty conference call requires laborious
series of manual ley pressing in order to connect all the parties
participating the conference.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of
making a mobile phone automatically invite multiple parties for
a remote conference by storing them in the mobile phone beforehand.
According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention,
a method of making a mobile phone invite multiple remote parties
for a remote multiparty conference through a mobile phone service
network, comprises the steps of: setting the mobile phone to multiparty
conference mode; searching a subscriber table in which is stored
the multiple remote parties to find out what phone numbers to call;
transmitting a set-up command asking for the connection of the first
remote party to the network; holding the connection upon receiving
confirmation from the network; transmitting another set-up command
asking for the connection of the next remote party to the network;
transmitting a multiparty conference request (MPTY request) to the
network to join the present active call of the next remote party
with the previous call on hold of the first remote party upon receiving
confirmation of the next or second remote party's connection from
the network; holding the joined call of the first and second remote
parties; repeating the previous fifth to seventh steps until joining
the last numbered remote party; and commencing the multiparty conference.
The preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described
more specifically with reference to the drawings attached only by
way of example.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ATTACHED DRAWINGS
FIGS. 1A and 1B are flow charts illustrating the conventional method
of having a remote multiparty conference through a mobile phone;
and
FIGS. 2A and 2B are flow charts illustrating a method of making
a mobile phone invite multiple remote parties for a remote multiparty
conference through a mobile phone service network.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Although the flow chart of FIGS. 2A and 2B describes the process
of making a remote multiparty conference participated by four remote
parties, it should be noted that the number of remote parties participating
in the conference may be increased or decreased as desired according
to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
Referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B, the inviter sets the mobile phone
to the multiparty conference mode in step 510. Then, in step 520,
the mobile phone searches a subscriber table in which are stored
the multiple remote parties to find out what phone numbers to call.
In step 530, a set-up command is transmitted asking for the connection
of the first remote party to the network. Then, upon receiving confirmation
of the set-up command generated from the network in step 540, the
mobile phone transmits a hold request for the network to hold the
connection in step 550.
However, if the phone does not receive the confirmation at step
540, the process goes to step 680 to check whether the first remote
party is in communication with another person. If the first remote
party is in communication with another person, the mobile phone
repeats the transmission of the set-up command asking for a connection
(steps 530, 540, 680 and 690) by a predetermined number of times,
e.g., three times, which is checked in step 690. If the transmission
of the set-up command has been repeated three times in vain at step
690 or the remote party is not in communication with another person
at step 680, the mobile phone excludes the first remote party from
the multiparty conference, proceeding to step 570 to transmit a
setup command asking for connection of the next remote party to
the network.
Continuing after step 550, the mobile phone checks for network
confirmation of the hold request at step 560. Upon receiving the
confirmation, the mobile phone transmits another set-up command
asking for the connection of the second remote party to the network
at step 570. Then, the mobile phone checks for network confirmation
of the connection in step 580. If there is no network confirmation,
the process goes to step 700 to check whether the second remote
party is in communication with another person. If the second remote
party is in communication with another person, the mobile phone
repeats the transmission of the set-up command asking for a connection
(steps 570, 580, 700 and 710) by a predetermined number of times,
e.g., three times, which is checked in step 710. If the transmission
of the set-up command has been repeated three times in vain at step
710 or the second remote party is not in communication with another
person at step 700, the mobile phone excludes the second remote
party from the multiparty conference, proceeding through point B
to FIG. 2B transmit a set-up command asking the connection of the
next remote party to the network at step 630.
Returning to step 580 on FIG. 2A, if the confirmation is received,
the mobile phone transmits, at step 590, an MPTY request to join
the present active call of the second remote party with the previous
call, now holding, of the first remote party to form a combined
active call. Then, the mobile phone checks at step 600 for the confirmation
of the MPTY request. Continuing the process on FIG. 2B, upon receiving
the confirmation, the mobile phone transmits a hold request for
the network to hold the combined active call at step 610.
Upon receiving the confirmation of the hold request from the network
at step 620, the mobile phone transmits a set-up command asking
for the connection of the third remote party to the network at step
630. Then, in step 640, the mobile phone checks for network confirmation
of the set-up command. If there is n network confirmation, the process
goes to step 720 to check whether the third remote party is in communication
with another person. If the third remote party is in communication
with another person, the mobile phone repeats the transmission of
the set-up command asking for a connection (steps 630, 640, 720,
and 730) by a predetermined number of times, e.g., three times,
which is checked in step 730. If the repetition of the transmission
of the set-up command has been repeated three times in vain at step
730 or the second remote party is not in communication with another
person at step 720, the mobile phone excludes the third remote party
from the multiparty conference, proceeding to step 740 to check
for the existence of a call presently on hold. If a call on hold
is detected, the multiparty conference commences at step 670, or,
if no call is detected, the process is terminated.
Returning to step 640, if network confirmation is received, the
mobile phone transmits, at step 650, an MPTY request to join the
present active call of the third remote party with the previous
call now holding, of the first and second remote parties to form
a combined active call. Then, the mobile phone checks, at step 660,
for confirmation of the MPTY request. Upon receiving the confirmation,
the process proceeds to commence the remote multiparty conference
at step 670. Thus, the mobile phone, according to the preferred
embodiment of the present invention, may automatically make a multiparty
conference without laboriously pressing a number of keys.
While the present invention has been described in connection with
a preferred embodiment as shown in the attached drawings, it will
be readily appreciated that various changes and modifications may
be made thereto without departing from the scope and spirit of the
present invention.
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