US 7,236,773 · Granted 2007-06-26

How Nokia Patented the Power to Control Who Joins Your Conference Call

Imagine you're on a call with someone outside your friend group, and you want to pull in a couple of your buddies—but only the ones who actually want to join. This patent describes a system where one device can start that external call and then invite others from a wireless network to join, with each person choosing whether they're in or out.

Curated and verified by the IsItPatented Editorial team

The plain-English version

What it protects

The claim covers a conference call system where a single device on a low-power wireless network can initiate a call to someone outside that network, then selectively add other devices from the same network to the conversation. What's protected is the specific method of letting the initiating user control who gets added while allowing other device users to opt in or opt out of participation. This includes the technical setup where mobile phones or other communication devices connected to the same radio network can be brought into a multi-party call on demand.

Why it matters

In the early 2000s, when this patent was filed, wireless conference calling wasn't straightforward—especially on low-power networks like early mobile or campus-based systems. By securing the rights to this control model, Nokia protected a user-friendly approach where one person could orchestrate a group call without forcing everyone to join automatically or requiring complicated dial-in procedures. The patent reflects the growing importance of flexible, user-controlled communication as mobile devices became central to business and social life.

Real-world use

When a group of coworkers on the same office wireless system gets pulled into a video or voice call initiated by one person, each receiving the option to accept or decline, that interaction traces back to the logic this patent describes.

Original USPTO abstract

A conference call facility is described in which one ( 2 a ) of a group of communication devices ( 2 a ,2 b ,2 c ,2 d ) connected to a low power radio frequency network ( 9 ) is able to set up a call to a party external of the network ( 9 ) and then selectively add further devices ( 2 a ,2 b ,2 c ) to the call under the control of the user of the one device ( 2 a ). The users of the other devices ( 2 b ,2 c ) are able to enable or disable the selection of their device in a conference call. One or more of the communication devices may be a mobile radio telephone equipped with the necessary network interface ( 1 ).

Patent details

Publication number: US 7,236,773
Filing date: 2001-05-31
Grant date: 2007-06-26
Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones Limited
Inventor(s): THOMAS GRAHAM
CPC class: H04M3/56

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