System and method for conference call line drop recovery

An information handling system comprising:

• one or more processors;
• a memory area accessible by the processors for storing telephone call data;
• a transmitter for transmitting voice input received over a data network;
• a receiver for receiving voice data from the data network;
• and
• a connection tool for joining telephone participants to a telephone call, the connection tool including:
• means for initiating a telephone call between a plurality of participants over the data network;
• means for receiving a plurality of voice inputs from the participants, wherein the voice, inputs include voice data;
• means for storing the voice data in the memory area;
• means for determining that a disconnection of a line connecting one of the participants to the telephone call has occurred, resulting in a disconnected participant;
• means for identifying the disconnected participant;
• means for retrieving a disconnection address from a storage location in the memory area that corresponds to a time of the disconnection;
• means for storing an identifier corresponding to the disconnected participant and the disconnection address;
• means for receiving a rejoin request from the disconnected participant requesting to rejoin the telephone call;
• means for retrieving a portion of the voice data from the memory area that was stored after the time of the disconnection and before receiving the rejoin request;
• and
• means for transmitting the retrieved portion of the voice data to the disconnected participant over the data network.

A computer program product stored on a computer operable media for joining telephone participants to a telephone call, said computer programproduct comprising:

• means for initiating a telephone call between, a plurality of participants;
• means for receiving a plurality of voice inputs from the participants, wherein the voice inputs include voice data;
• means for storing the voice data in a memory area;
• means for determining that a disconnection of a line connecting one of the participants to the telephone call has occurred, resulting in a disconnected participant;
• means for identifying the disconnected participant;
• means for retrieving a disconnection address from a storage location in the memory area that corresponds to a time of the disconnection;
• means for storing an identifier corresponding to the disconnected participant and the disconnection address;
• means for receiving a rejoin request from the disconnected participant requesting to rejoin the telephone call;
• means for retrieving a portion of the voice data from the memory area that was stored after the time of the disconnection and before receiving the rejoin request;
• and
• means for transmitting the retrieved portion of the voice data to the disconnected participant.

A method of connecting telephone participants to a telephone call, said method comprising:

• initiating a telephone call between a plurality of participants;
• receiving a plurality of voice inputs from the participants, wherein the voice inputs include voice data;
• storing the voice data in a memory area;
• determining that a disconnection of a line connecting one of the participants to the telephone call has occurred, resulting in a disconnected participant;
• identifying the disconnected participant;
• retrieving a disconnection address from a storage location in the memory area that corresponds to a time of the disconnection;
• storing an identifier corresponding to the disconnected participant and the disconnection address;
• receiving a rejoin request from the disconnected participant requesting to rejoin the telephone call;
• providing an audible signal to the participants that a rejoin request has been received from the disconnected participant;
• retrieving a portion of the voice data from the memory area that was stored after the time of the disconnection and before receiving the rejoin request;
• transmitting the retrieved portion of the voice data to the disconnected participant;
• receiving a skip transmission request from the disconnected participant;
• stopping the transmitting in response to the receipt of the skip transmission request;
• and
• connecting the disconnected participant with the other participants in the telephone call upon stopping the transmission.