Automatic teleconferencing control system

A method for automatically controlling a teleconference, comprising the steps of:

• establishing a trigger definition database in accordance with participant configuration profiles, there being a participant configuration profile for each of a plurality of endpoints connected to said teleconference through a media bridge,
• identifying trigger criteria defined in said trigger definition database, said identifying step further comprising the mutually exclusive steps of
• analyzing media flows, and
• extracting direct commands from said media flows, said media flows originating from an endpoint for distribution through said media bridge to other endpoints on said teleconference;
• generating conference control commands, in accordance with said trigger definition database, when said trigger criteria are identified by said analysis or said direct commands.

A system for automatically controlling a conference, wherein a plurality of participant stations, including at least a first participant station, are operatively connected by a media bridge, the system comprising:

• a trigger definition database, including trigger criteria and trigger control commands associated with trigger functions;
• at least a first bridge analyzer, operatively connected to the trigger definition database and the media bridge, adapted to:
• analyze media flow from at least the first participant station to the media bridge;
• extract direct commands from said media flow, said analysis and said extraction being mutually exclusive:
• implement at least a first of the trigger functions identified in the trigger database;
• identify whether at least a first of the trigger criteria for the first trigger function are satisfied by said analysis of the media flow;
• and
• generate at least a first control command when the first trigger criteria is satisfied.

A method for automatically controlling a conference, wherein a plurality of participant stations, including at least a first participant station, are operatively connected by a media bridge and the media bridge is operatively connected to a trigger definition database, including trigger criteria and trigger control commands associated with trigger functions, the method comprising the steps of:

• analyzing media flow from at least the first participant station to the media bridge;
• extracting direct commands from said media flow, said analyzing step and said extracting step being mutually exclusive;
• implementing at least a first of the trigger functions identified in the trigger database;
• identifying whether at least a first of the trigger criteria for the first trigger function are satisfied by said analysis of the media flow;
• and
• generating at least a first control command when the first trigger criteria is satisfied.

A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a computer system to facilitate a conference process among a plurality of participant stations, including at least a first participant station, wherein the participant stations are operatively connected to a media bridge and the media bridge is operatively connected to a trigger definition database, including trigger criteria and trigger control commands associated with trigger functions, the process comprising:

• analyzing media flow from at least the first participant station to the media bridge;
• extracting direct commands from said media flow, said analyzing and said extracting step being mutually exclusive:
• implementing at least a first of the trigger functions identified in the trigger database;
• identifying whether at least a first of the trigger criteria for the first trigger function are satisfied by said analysis of the media flow;
• and
• generating at least a first control command when the first trigger criteria is satisfied.

An automatic teleconferencing control system comprising:

• a plurality of media conferencing bridges on a network, each said media bridge controlling a conference among a plurality of participant stations, each said participant station being connected to one of said media bridges at a time;
• at least one automatic bridge controller, said automatic bridge controller further comprising a trigger definition database and a bridge analyzer;
• wherein media flows are generated at a participant station and are communicated through said automatic bridge controller to other participant stations on said conference;
• wherein said bridge analyzer identifies trigger criteria defined in said trigger definition database by analyzing said media flows and, extracting direct commands from said media flows;
• and
• wherein said automatic bridge controller uses said trigger definition database to control said media flow in accordance with participant configuration profiles at each said participant station.