Linked Enterprise Conferencing via Tributary Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current conferencing systems waste resources and fail to effectively link enterprise and non-enterprise callers, leading to unnecessary device deployment and inefficient use of computing resources.
Innovation Solution
A conferencing system that establishes a tributary conference on an enterprise media server and interfaces it with a data center media server to create a linked conference between enterprise and non-enterprise callers, optimizing resource utilization by only creating a home conference when a non-enterprise caller joins, using a distributed architecture with SIP-based protocols.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a conference is established to include both enterprise and non-enterprise callers, then communication capability is improved, but computing resources are wasted and devices are unnecessarily deployed
Solution Approach 1:
The conference system is segmented into two separate conferences: an enterprise conference hosted on the enterprise media server and a non-enterprise conference hosted on the data center media server. This segmentation allows each conference to be independently managed and resource-allocated, preventing waste of computing resources while maintaining full communication capability between enterprise and non-enterprise callers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediary components including a gateway that receives calls from non-enterprise callers and an application server that interfaces between the two separate conferences. This intermediary architecture enables seamless communication between enterprise and non-enterprise participants without requiring direct integration, thus avoiding unnecessary device deployment at the enterprise while preserving communication versatility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If enterprise devices are deployed to support non-enterprise callers, then conferencing functionality is improved, but device complexity and deployment cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the non-enterprise conference functionality from the enterprise infrastructure and hosts it separately on a data center media server. This extraction eliminates the need to deploy or modify enterprise devices to support non-enterprise callers, reducing device complexity and deployment cost while maintaining full conferencing functionality through the intermediary gateway and application server.
3Adaptability or versatility
If current systems attempt to link enterprise and non-enterprise conferences, then communication between callers is improved, but the system fails to effectively establish the link and wastes resources
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a structured intermediary architecture where a gateway receives non-enterprise calls and an application server manages the interface between the enterprise conference and non-enterprise conference. This intermediary approach effectively establishes the link between different conference types while improving system efficiency through automated call routing, conference matching, and resource management, eliminating the failures and resource waste associated with ad-hoc linking attempts.
Data Source
AI summary
The illustrative embodiments described herein provide improved systems and methods for conferencing enterprise and non-enterprise callers. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a first call initiated by an enterprise caller at an enterprise, communicating with an enterprise media server to initiate a tributary conference on the enterprise media server, joining the enterprise caller to the tributary conference such that the enterprise caller is in data communication with the tributary conference, receiving a second call initiated by a non-enterprise caller via a public switched telephone network, interfacing the non-enterprise caller with a data center media server, creating a home conference on the data center media center, joining the second call to the home conference, and interfacing the home conference on the data center media server to the tributary conference on the enterprise media server to form a linked conference between the enterprise caller and the non-enterprise caller.