WO2009070105A1

WO2009070105A1 - Method and telephone

Info

Publication number: WO2009070105A1
Application number: PCT/SE2008/051348
Authority: WO
Inventors: Torbjörn KARLSSON; Jonas Aronsson
Original assignee: Konftel Ab
Priority date: 2007-11-26
Filing date: 2008-11-25
Publication date: 2009-06-04
Also published as: SE0702613L; EP2215817A1; EP2215817A4

Abstract

This invention concerns a method for the connection of several telephones for connection to a conference call through a telephone intended for conference calls and comprising various electrical control, regulatory and monitoring units, memory units, regulators for selecting functions and settings, an information screen on which menu systems coupled with functions and settings are displayed, and adjustment means that influence a cursor that can be displaced to and locked onto the desired selected heading in the menus and that activates the function or setting that is coupled to it. The method comprises the use of a specific entry to the menu system in the form of a menu and various submenus, headings, that belong to this menu, under which the functions and settings of the telephone related to selection of type of connection route for the particular telephone are collected and stored such that the functions and settings are at least one of accessible, selectable, modifiable and ready for activation. The invention concerns also a telephone that makes this possible.

Description

A method for calling and connecting several telephones to a conference call

Technical area

This invention concerns a method for calling several telephones for connecting them to a conference call that increases the opportunities for participation, and a telephone that makes this method possible.

Background to the invention

Telephones for conference calls have long been commercially available and it has been possible to connect several analogue telephones, system telephones, at the same time to these, in order to create a telephone conference group.

A currently available telephone for conference calls comprises different functions and settings and it comprises for this purpose different electrical control, regulation and monitoring units, memory units, and similar units. The selection of functions and settings is done using different regulators, such as, for example, buttons, on the telephone. The buttons activate directly a function of the telephone or they give access to selection menus for different functions and settings in which it is possible to browse up and down at various levels of the selection menus.

The telephone has a screen, suitably an LCD screen, on which a menu system is displayed. Adjustment means influence a cursor that can be displaced to and locked onto the desired selected heading in the menus and that activates the function or setting that is coupled to it. The cursor is caused to stop on the desired heading in the selection menus and the selection is confirmed by, for example, the pressing of a button, such as the pressing of a button labelled with, for example, "OK" or "C". The displacement of the cursor normally takes place by pressing buttons labelled "Up" or "Down", or using other forms of direction symbolism.

Different settings can be made depending on whether the telephone is "on hook" or "off hook", whether the telephone is in a condition corresponding to having the telephone in active position or in passive position, for example having a handset in the cradle or not.

The selection menus are collected in a main menu that provides a clear entry into the various functions and settings. Some of these functions and settings are also available through one or several more or less direct buttons on the telephone. Existing methods and telephones have been such that it is only possible to connect analogue telephones, and this has required that persons who are to be connected to a conference call have been compelled to be beside an analogue system telephone in order for it to be possible for them to participate. This has limited the opportunities for persons to participate.

Summary of the invention

One purpose of the invention is to offer a method for calling several telephones for connecting them to a conference call that increases the opportunities for participation, and a telephone that makes this method possible.

This purpose is achieved with a method according to claim 1 and a telephone according to claim 5.

Description of the invention

The basis of the invention lies in the ability to connect several telephones through various connection routes and in the use of a specific entry to the menu system in the form of a menu and various submenus, headings, that belong to this menu, under which the functions and settings of the telephone related to the type of connection route for the relevant telephone are collected and stored such that the functions and settings are at least one of accessible, selectable, modifiable and ready for activation.

The word "telephone" which is used to denote the units that are to be connected to a conference call is used to denote also other types of units that can be connected and that make possible bi-directional communication, such as, for example, various types of mobile unit and computer unit.

The telephone makes possible the activation of, and it comprises a function comprising the selection of the desired connection route or routes for the conference call. When the telephone is in its "on hook" condition, the selection of connection route can be made and activated through entry into the menu system at the menu, the heading, "Line mode". A list of possible line modes, connection alternatives, connection combinations, is there displayed. The cursor is displaced upwards and downwards and the desired alternative is selected through activating a confirmation or activation means. Buttons labelled "C", "Menu" or "Line mode" are used to exit from the heading "Line mode".

It is possible to select and activate the following connection alternative:

• Analogue (PSTN) • Mobile (DECT/GSM)

• USB (connected to a computer unit)

• Analogue + Mobile

• Analogue + USB

• Mobile + USB • Analogue + Mobile + USB

The available selections are controlled by the capabilities of the telephone, not least by its memory capacity. The combination Analogue + Mobile requires large memory capacity of the telephone and it is currently, with existing telephones and their capabilities, not fully possible to combine these, if other specifications of demands relating to the functions of the telephone are to be satisfied. This is true also of the combination of all three connection routes. These combinations, however, become perfectly possible if it is possible to redistribute or increase the capabilities of telephones.

The telephone is provided with three different inputs/outputs, one for each of the three connection routes listed first in the list above (analogue, mobile and USB).

When the telephone is in its "off hook" condition, the above-mentioned connection routes and bandwidths will be used depending on the choice that has been made and activated. The choice of connection can be changed also in the "off hook" condition. A list can be produced on the screen through the menu system or through activation of the button labelled "Line mode", which list displays the three available selections (analogue, mobile and USB) A user of the telephone, a person initiating the connection, can also place a selected type, connection route, into a suspended mode, temporary disconnection, through the activation of a temporary disconnection function, by a button, for example, which it is suggested be labelled "Wait". It is possible to press this button and activate the function.

The line mode, the connection route, that has been selected will be retained in the telephone until it is changed.

Telephones of this type usually comprise a function that makes possible the regulation of the volume of the sound that is transmitted to the conference group. Also a telephone according to the invention has a volume adjustment function, and a modification means that is associated with this in order to adjust the volume. The volume can be adjusted for each connection route individually. The user of the telephone, the person initiating the connection, selects in the menu system the connection route for which it is desired to adjust the volume, whereafter the volume is adjusted using an adjustment means that is present on the telephone. The adjustment of volume takes place when the telephone is in its "off hook" condition.

Claims

1. A method for calling several telephones for connecting them to a conference call through a telephone intended for conference calls and comprising various electrical control, regulation and monitoring units, memory units, regulators for selecting functions and settings, an information screen on which menu systems coupled with functions and settings are displayed, and adjustment means that influence a cursor that can be displaced to and locked onto the desired selected heading in the menus and that activates the function or setting that is coupled to it, c h a r a c t e r i s e d b y the use of a specific entry in the menu system in the form of a menu and submenus, headings, that belong to it, under which the functions and settings of the telephone related to selection of the type of connection route for each telephone are collected and stored such that the functions and settings are at least one of accessible, selectable, modifiable and ready for activation.

2. The method according to claim 1 , comprising activation of a function comprising the selection of the desired connection route or routes for the conference call.

3. The method according to claim 2, comprising selection and activation of one of the following connection alternatives:

• Analogue (PSTN)

• Mobile (DECT/GSM)

• USB (connected to a computer unit) • Analogue + Mobile

• Analogue + USB

• Mobile + USB

• Analogue + Mobile + USB

4. The method according to any one of claims 1-3, comprising adjustment of volume for each separate connection route.

5. A telephone for conference calls comprising various electrical control, regulation and c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that the functions and settings of the telephone related to the selection of the type of connection route for each telephone are collected under one menu and under various submenus, headings, belonging to it, such that the functions and settings are at least one of accessible, selectable, modifiable and ready for activation.

6. The telephone according to claim 5, comprising a function for the selection and activation of the desired connection route or routes for the conference call.

7. The telephone according to claim 6, where the function makes possible the selection and activation of one of the following connection alternatives:

• Analogue (PSTN)

• Mobile (DECT/GSM)

• USB (connected to a computer unit) • Analogue + Mobile

• Analogue + USB

• Mobile + USB

• Analogue + Mobile + USB

8. The telephone according to claim 7, comprising three different inputs/outputs, one for each of the three connection routes listed first in the list above (analogue, mobile and USB).

9. The telephone according to any one of claims 5-8, comprising a function and the adjustment means associated with it for the adjustment of volume for each separate connection route.