# US 10,313,405 B2 · Dynamically configured conferencing > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,313,405 B2 - Document ID: US10313405B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/265,832 - Filed: 2016-09-14 - Published: 2017-08-10 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2016-02-04 - Assignees: Cloud9 Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Cloud9 Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Andrew Pappas - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10313405B2 ## CPC - H04L 65/403: Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences (data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15) - H04N 7/147: {Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals (selecting H04Q)} - H04N 7/152: {Multipoint control units therefor} - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract Systems and methods are provided for dynamic configuration of a digital conference call among customer premise equipment (CPE) such that CPEs that are determined to be located on a same local network connect via a peer-to-peer connection and CPEs that are determined to not be located on the same local network connect via a client-server connection. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A dynamically provisioning conference call system for a conference call among at least three customers, said system comprising: a conference server; each of said customers associated with a respective customer premise equipment (CPE); at least one of said at least three CPEs being located within a network; said at least one CPE having a conference call module that determines a location of at least two others of said at least three CPEs; said conference call module causing said at least one CPE to connect to one of said at least two others of said CPEs via a peer-to-peer connection for said conference call when said conference call module determines that said one of said at least two others of said CPEs is located within the network; and, said conference call module causing said at least one CPE to connect to another of said at least two others of said CPEs for said conference call through the conference server when said conference call module determines that said another of said at least two others of said CPEs is not located within the network. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1 further comprising: said conference server having a server conference call module; wherein said server conference call module instructs yet another of said at least three CPEs to connect with said at least one CPE for said conference call via a peer-to-peer connection when said server conference call module determines that said yet another CPE is located within the network; and, wherein said server conference call module instructs said yet another CPE to connect with said at least one CPE for said conference call through the server when said server conference call module determines that said yet another CPE is not located within the network. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1 wherein said at least one CPE includes a priority; and, wherein said conference call module causes said at least one CPE to connect to yet another of said at least three CPEs for the conference call through the conference server when said conference call module determines that said yet another CPE is located within the network and that said priority allows such a connection. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1 further including said conference server having a server conference call module and yet another of said at least three CPEs involved in the conference call has a priority associated therewith; and, wherein said server conference call module causes said yet another of said at least three CPEs to connect to said at least one CPE for the conference call via a peer to peer connection when said server conference call module determines that said yet another CPE is not located within the network and that said priority allows such a connection. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1 wherein each of said at least three CPEs has an Internet Protocol (IP) address and wherein said conference call module is configured to determine a network location of said at least one CPE based at least in part on said IP address of said at least one CPE. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system according to claim 5 wherein said conference call module is configured to determine a network location of said one of said at least two others of said CPEs based at least in part on said IP address of said one of said at least two others of said CPEs and based on said network location of said one of said at least two others of said CPEs determine if said one of said at least two others of said CPEs is located within said network. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1 wherein said CPE associated with each of said customers includes video conferencing equipment. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1 wherein said CPE associated with each of said customers includes a voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone. ### Claim 9 A method for a customer premise equipment to dynamically configuring a digital conference call among at least three customers, said method comprising: a customer premise equipment (CPE) associated with one of said customers determining that a CPE associated with another of said customers is located on a same network as said CPE associated with said one of said customers; said CPE associated with said one of said customers setting up a peer-to-peer connection with said CPE associated with said another of said customers for participation in a conference call; said CPE associated with said one of said customers determining that a CPE associated with yet another of said customers is located on a different network from said CPE associated with said one of said customers; and, said CPE associated with said one of said customers setting up a connection with said CPE associated with said yet another of said customers through a conference server for participation in said conference call. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9 wherein said conference call is a video conference call. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9 wherein said conference call is an audio conference call. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9 further including said CPE associated with said one of said customers determining that a CPE associated with yet another of said customers is located on the same network as said CPE associated with said one of said customers and that said CPE associated with said yet another of said customers includes a priority associated therewith; and, said CPE associated with said one of said customers setting up a connection with said CPE associated with said yet another of said customers through a conference server for participation in said conference call. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9 further including said CPE associated with said one of said customers determining that a CPE associated with yet another of said customers is located on a different network from said CPE associated with said one of said customers and that said CPE associated with said yet another of said customers includes a priority associated therewith; and, said CPE associated with said one of said customers setting up a connection with said CPE associated with said yet another of said customers via a peer to peer connection for participation in said conference call. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9 wherein said CPE associated with said one of said customers determining that said CPE associated with said another of said customers is located on the same network as said CPE associated with said one of said customers based at least in part on an Internet Protocol (IP) address of said CPE associated with said one of said customers and an IP address of said CPE associated with said another of said customers. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14 wherein said CPE associated with said one of said customers determining that said CPE associated with said another of said customers is located on the same network as said CPE associated with said one of said customers includes a conference call module located on said CPE associated with said one of said customers making said determination. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14 wherein said CPE associated with said one of said customers determining that said CPE associated with said another of said customers is located on the same network as said CPE associated with said one of said customers includes said CPE associated with said one of said customers communicating with a conference server and said conference server making said determination and informing said CPE associated with said one of said customers of said determination. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method according to claim 16 wherein said conference server includes a server conference call module that makes said determination. ### Claim 18 A method for a customer premises equipment to dynamically configuring a digital conference call among at least three customers, said method comprising: a customer premise equipment (CPE) associated with one of said customers determining that a CPE associated with another of said customers is located on a different network from said CPE associated with said one of said customers; and, said CPE associated with said one of said customers setting up a client-server connection with said CPE associated with said another of said customers for participation in a conference call; and, said CPE associated with said one of said customers changing said connection with said another of said customers to a peer-to-peer connection for participation in said conference call in response to determining that said CPE associated with said another of said customers includes a priority associated therewith.