US 6,411,605 B1 · Scheduler for telecommunications bridge

Abstract

The scheduling system (10) includes a bridge administrator (12) that is interfaced with a plurality of nodes (14, 16 and 18) via a public network such as the Internet (24). In the illustrated embodiment, each of the nodes (14, 16 and 18) includes both a phone (14A, 16A and 18A) and a computer (14B, 16B and 18B). The bridge administrator (12) includes a scheduler (26), a controller (28), a user database (30), a scheduling database (32) and a number of bridges (34, 36 and 38). A user can access the scheduler (26) via the Internet in order to schedule a conference call using one of the bridges (34, 36 and 38). The scheduler (26) authenticates the user based on the user database (30) and determines bridge availability based on the scheduling database (32). Scheduling information is then reported to the user and other conference call participants. At the scheduled conference call time, each of the conference call participants can access the selected bridge(s) (34, 36 and/or 38) in order to be patched into the-conference call. The invention thereby automates bridge scheduling so as to allow for better bridge utilization without requiring manual administration.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A method for use in administering usage of shared resources, comprising the steps of:

providing a scheduler for use in scheduling access to said shared resources, said scheduler employs and provides access to availability information regarding the shared resource, wherein said availability information comprises a schedule for future use for said shared resources;
receiving an access request via said public network from a first user associated with a first node of said network;
authenticating said access request by verifying authorization information relative to said first use;
selectively allowing said first user access to said scheduler via said public network based on said step of authenticating;
receiving a scheduling request via said public network from said first user regarding scheduling for said shared resources;
using said scheduler to access a scheduling database and process said scheduling request, wherein the step of processing may comprises determining that the shared resources are available at selected future time, scheduling the resources for the selected future time, and updating the database accordingly;
and
outputting scheduling information regarding said shared resources to said first user at said first node based on said processed scheduling request.

5 more elements

A method for use in administering usage of telecommunications bridge resources, comprising the steps of:

providing a network structure usable for conveying communications between a scheduler at a server network node, wherein the scheduler is configured to provide access to availability information for said bridge resources and to schedule future use for said bridge resources and at least three client nodes associated with at least three prospective conference call participants;
first conveying, using said network structure, first communications regarding a future conference between said server node of said scheduler and a first of said client nodes of a paid prospective conference call participants;
second conveying, using said network structure, second communications regarding said future conference call between said server node of said scheduler and a second of said client nodes of a second of said prospective conference call participants;
third conveying, using said network structure, third communications regarding said future conference between said server node and a third of said client nodes of a third of said prospective conference call participants;
and
wherein said first, second and third communications are utilized to arrange said conference call relative to said telecommunications bridge resources.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Scheduler for telecommunications bridge

Life of this patent

Scheduler for telecommunications bridge

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15