In a telephone conferencing system, a digital communication network such
as the Internet is used to establish and control the telephone
connections between multiple conferees with the telephone network being
the means of exchanging verbal information. Each conferee may have a
computer connected to the digital network, and each has an independent
telephone instrument connected to the public switched telephone network.
An in-charge conferee utilizes his computer containing appropriate
software to initiate the conference and to control the participation of
the conferees. The in-charge conferee sends digital control signals to a
switch interface controlling a telephone switch as a gateway to the
telephone network using SS7 control signals. These SS7 control signals
include the commands by which the conferee telephones are rung up,
brought on line, or dropped from the conference. The switch provides
telephone status information back over the digital network, and the
in-charge conferee, as well as other conferees provided with appropriate
software, display this status information on their PC monitors.