Personal web-based teleconferencing method and system

Abstract

A method and system which utilize a graphical user interface to identify potential participants in a teleconference, specify a user-controlled dial-up/hang-up order, and monitor the status of participants to the teleconference. The method and system receive conference commands from a World Wide Web (WWW) browser and translate the conference commands into commands that control a telephone bridge.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:  
     
         1 . A computer program product, comprising: 
 a computer storage medium and a computer program code mechanism embedded in the computer storage medium for causing a computer to control a telephone bridge linked to the computer, the computer controlling the telephone bridge based on commands from a graphical user interface of a non-operator, the computer program code mechanism comprising: 
 a first computer code device configured to receive a message from the graphical user interface of the non-operator;  
 a second computer code device configured to convert the message into a bridge command specific to the telephone bridge;  
 a third computer code device configured to send the bridge command to the telephone bridge;  
 a fourth computer code device configured to receive a response from the telephone bridge; and  
 a fifth computer code device configured to send the response to the graphical user interface of the non-operator.  
   
     
     
         2 . The computer program product as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first computer code device comprises a sixth computer code device configured to receive a user-command as the message.  
     
     
         3 . The computer program product as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first computer code device comprises a sixth computer code device configured to receive a status request as the message.  
     
     
         4 . The computer program product as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first computer code device comprises a sixth computer code device configured to receive a secure HTML request as the message.  
     
     
         5 . The computer program product as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the second computer code device comprises a seventh computer code device configured to establish a multiparty teleconference between plural teleconferees based on the message and without a reservation made in advance.  
     
     
         6 . The computer program product as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the seventh computer code device comprises an eighth computer code device configured to establish the multiparty teleconference using a connection message per teleconferees.  
     
     
         7 . The computer program product as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the fifth computer code device comprises a seventh computer code device configured to transmit at least one of an icon and an icon identifier as part of the response to the status request such that at least one of the icon and an icon identified by the icon identifier is displayed by the graphical user interface as a status of a corresponding connection to one of the plural teleconferees.  
     
     
         8 . The computer program product as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the fifth computer code device comprises a seventh computer code device configured to transmit a cost per minute of a multiparty teleconference before the multiparty teleconference is established.  
     
     
         9 . The computer program product as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the seventh computer code device further comprises a ninth computer code device configured to disconnect all of the plural teleconferees from the multiparty teleconference based on a single disconnect message.  
     
     
         10 . An apparatus for controlling a telephone bridge based on commands from a graphical user interface of a non-operator, the apparatus comprising: 
 a first receiver for receiving a message from the graphical user interface of the non-operator;    a converter for converting the message into the bridge command specific to the telephone bridge;    a first transmitter for transmitting the bridge command to the telephone bridge;    a second receiver for receiving a response from the telephone bridge; and    a second transmitter for transmitting the response to the graphical user interface of the non-operator.    
     
     
         11 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the first receiver is a receiver configured to receive a user-command as the message.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the first receiver is a receiver configured to receive a status request as the message.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the first receiver is a receiver configured to receive a secure HTML request as the message.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the converter comprises a teleconference establishing unit configured to establish a multiparty teleconference between plural teleconferees without a reservation made in advance.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the teleconference establishing unit comprises a connecting unit configured to establish the multiparty teleconference using a connection message per teleconferee.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the second transmitter comprises an icon transmitter configured to transmit at least one of an icon and an icon identifier as part of the response to the status request such that at least one of the icon and an icon identified by the icon identifier is displayed by the graphical user interface as a status of a corresponding connection to one of the plural teleconferees.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the second transmitter comprises a cost transmitting unit configured to transmit a cost per minute of a multiparty teleconference before the multiparty teleconference is established.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the teleconference establishing unit further comprises a disconnecting unit configured to disconnect all of the plural teleconferees from the multiparty teleconference based on a single disconnect message.  
     
     
         19 . A computer-implemented method for causing a computer to control a telephone bridge linked to the computer, the computer controlling the telephone bridge based on commands from a graphical user interface of a non-operator, the method comprising the steps of: 
 receiving a message from the graphical user interface of the non-operator;    converting the message into a bridge command specific to the telephone bridge;    transmitting the bridge command to the telephone bridge;    receiving a response from the telephone bridge; and    transmitting the response to the graphical user interface of the non-operator.    
     
     
         20 . The method as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the first step of receiving a message comprises receiving a user-command as the message.  
     
     
         21 . The method as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the first step of receiving a message comprises receiving a status request as the message.  
     
     
         22 . The method as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the first step of receiving comprises receiving a secure HTML request as the message.  
     
     
         23 . The method as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the converting step comprises establishing a multiparty teleconference between plural teleconferees based on the message and without a reservation made in advance.  
     
     
         24 . The method as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein the establishing step comprises establishing the multiparty teleconference using a connection message per teleconferee.  
     
     
         25 . The method as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein the step of transmitting the response comprises transmitting at least one of an icon and an icon identifier as part of the response to the status request such that at least one of the icon and an icon identified by the icon identifier is displayed by the graphical user interface as a status of a corresponding connection to one of the plural teleconferees.  
     
     
         26 . The method as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein the step of transmitting comprises transmitting a cost per minute of a multiparty teleconference before the multiparty teleconference is established.  
     
     
         27 . The method as claimed in  claim 24 , further comprising the step of disconnecting all plural teleconferees from the multiparty teleconference based on a single disconnect message.