Telephony Server Bridging Audio Calls to Video Meetings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing virtual meeting systems face challenges in allowing audio-only callers to seamlessly join virtual meetings without having to switch from telephony services to client applications, often resulting in missed conversation portions due to time-consuming switching processes that disrupt the user experience.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that establish a call between a phone device and a customer endpoint, opening a channel to join the phone device with a virtual meeting, thereby bypassing security checks and maintaining the call as an audio channel for seamless integration, even if the virtual meeting is already in progress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If audio-only callers switch from telephony services to client applications to join virtual meetings, then they can access video-enabled meeting features, but the switching process takes time and disrupts the user experience
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a telephony server as an intermediary that bridges telephony services and virtual meeting platforms. This server enables audio-only callers to join video-enabled virtual meetings directly through telephony without switching to client applications, eliminating the time-consuming switching process while maintaining access to meeting features
Solution Approach 2:
The telephony server provides multi-functionality by supporting both telephony services and virtual meeting platform integration. It enables a single interface (telephony) to access multiple meeting types (audio-only and video-enabled), making the system universal and eliminating the need for separate client applications
2Reliability
If callers join virtual meetings through traditional switching processes, then security checks can be performed, but the process disrupts the ongoing conversation
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs security checks in advance before the caller joins the virtual meeting. The telephony server authenticates the caller and establishes the connection beforehand, so that when the caller needs to join an ongoing meeting, the security clearance is already complete, allowing seamless integration without disrupting the conversation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent maintains continuous audio communication by keeping the telephony connection active throughout the joining process. The telephony server ensures that the audio channel remains open and uninterrupted, allowing the caller to join the meeting seamlessly without breaking the ongoing conversation flow
Data Source
AI summary
A call is merged with a virtual meeting to allow an audio-only caller to join the virtual meeting while bypassing one or more security checks configured for the virtual meeting. After the virtual meeting is initiated, a call is established between a phone device of the audio-only caller and a customer endpoint. A request is received from the customer endpoint to join the phone device with a virtual meeting. A channel is opened between the phone device and a web service associated with the virtual meeting. The phone device is then joined to the virtual meeting over the channel. To facilitate a seamless transition from the call to the virtual meeting, the call may be maintained as an audio channel of the virtual meeting for the audio-only caller.