Apparatus and method for conducting a transfer of a conference call

A media gateway, comprising:

• an interface operable to couple to a communication network;
• and
• a processing module coupled to the interface, the processing module operable to:
• play a prompt to a plurality of clients if a transfer message indicates a change in the number of clients participating in a conference call;
• and
• transfer a responsibility for mixing of media streams of the conference call from a first call resource to a second call resource based on the transfer message;
• wherein the processing module simultaneously plays the prompt and transfers the conference call, the prompt operable to mask the transfer of responsibility for mixing of the media streams between the first and second call resources.

Logic encoded in a media gateway for conducting a transfer of a conference call and operable to perform the following steps:

• receiving media streams from a plurality of clients participating in a conference call;
• receiving a message at a media gateway to transfer responsibility for mixing of the media streams from a first call resource to a second call resource;
• transferring responsibility for mixing of the media streams from the first call resource to the second call resource based on the message;
• and
• communicating a prompt to the clients during the transfer of responsibility for mixing of the media streams if the message indicates a change in the number of clients participating in the conference call, the prompt operable to mask the transfer of responsibility for mixing of the media streams between the first and second call resources.

An apparatus for conducting a transfer of a conference call, comprising:

• means for receiving media streams from a plurality of clients participating in a conference call;
• means for receiving a message at a media gateway to transfer responsibility for mixing of the media streams from a first call resource to a second call resource;
• means for transferring responsibility for mixing of the media streams from the first call resource to the second call resource based on the message;
• and
• means for communicating a prompt to the clients during the transfer of responsibility for mixing of the media streams if the message indicates a change in the number of clients participating in the conference call, the prompt operable to mask the transfer of responsibility for mixing of the media streams between the first and second call resources.

A method for conducting a transfer of a conference call, the method comprising:

• receiving unmixed media streams from a plurality of clients participating in a conference call;
• receiving a message at a media gateway to transfer responsibility for mixing of the unmixed media streams from a first call resource to a second call resource;
• introducing a delay in a selected one of a first mixed media stream and a second mixed media stream to synchronize the first mixed media stream and the second mixed media stream;
• and
• transferring responsibility for mixing of the unmixed media streams from the first call resource to the second call resource upon confirming that the first and second mixed media streams are synchronized communicating a prompt to a plurality of clients during the transfer of responsibility for mixing of the media streams if the message indicates a change in the number of clients participating in the conference call, the prompt operable to mask the transfer of responsibility for mixing of the media streams between the first and second call resources.

A method for mixing data packets, comprising:

• receiving unmixed media streams from a plurality of endpoints participating in a conference call;
• transmitting the unmixed media streams to a first call resource;
• receiving a first mixed media stream from the first call resource;
• transmitting the first mixed media stream to the plurality of endpoints;
• detecting a transfer condition;
• duplicating the unmixed media streams;
• transmitting the duplicated unmixed media streams to a second call resource;
• receiving a second mixed media stream from the second call resource;
• validating the second mixed media stream;
• transmitting the second mixed media stream to the plurality of endpoints;
• ending transmitting the first mixed media stream to the plurality of endpoints, and
• masking the transition from transmitting the first mixed media stream to transmitting the second mixed media stream
• wherein a prompt is communicated to the plurality of endpoints during a transfer of responsibility for the first mixed media stream if a message received at the media gateway indicates a change in the number of endpoints participating in the conference call, the prompt operable to mask the transfer of responsibility for the first mixed media stream from the first call resource to the second mixed media stream from the second call resource.

A method of allocating call resources, comprising:

• receiving at a media gateway a request to initiate a first conference call between a first plurality of conference call participants;
• initiating the first conference call;
• receiving at a media gateway a first plurality of unmixed packet streams from the first plurality of conference call participants;
• transmitting the first plurality of unmixed packet streams to a first call resource for mixing at the first call resource;
• utilizing the first call resource to mix the first plurality of unmixed packet streams;
• receiving at the media gateway a request to initiate a second conference call between a second plurality of conference call participants;
• initiating the second conference call;
• receiving at the media gateway a second plurality of unmixed packet streams from the second plurality of conference call participants;
• transmitting the second plurality of unmixed packet streams to a second call resource for mixing at the second call resource;
• utilizing the second call resource to mix the second plurality of unmixed packet streams;
• determining that the first call resource can mix the second plurality of unmixed packet streams while the first call resource continues mixing the first plurality of unmixed packet streams;
• duplicating the second plurality of unmixed packet streams;
• transmitting the duplicated second plurality of unmixed packet streams to the first call resource;
• utilizing the first call resource to mix the duplicated second plurality of unmixed packet streams while the first call resource also mixes the first plurality of unmixed packet streams;
• and
• ending transmitting the second plurality of unmixed packet streams to the second call resource for mixing at the second call resource
• wherein a prompt is communicated to the first and second plurality of conference call participants during the transfer of responsibility for mixing of the first and duplicated second plurality of unmixed packet streams if the request indicates a change in the number of call participants participating in the first conference call, the prompt operable to mask the transfer of responsibility for mixing of the first and duplicated second plurality of unmixed packet streams between the first and second call resources.