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Apparatus and system for operating a community

  • US 20070242812A1
  • Filed: 05/07/2007
  • Published: 10/18/2007
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2004
  • Status: Abandoned Application
First Claim
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1. A system for performing selective voice-over-IP (VOIP) communication by members of a community over a wide area network (WAN), comprising:

  • at least one VOIP server, which routes voice-over-IP packets from one user to one or more other users;

    means provided within said VOIP server, or coupled to it, to maintain a list of members of the community;

    means provided within said VOIP server, or coupled to it, to determine which members of the community are available on-line at any given time and to notify other members of the community that said members are, or have become, available on-line, or have gone off-line;

    two or more users connected to a WAN via a PC, said users being provided with VOIP communication devices;

    resident software provided in the PC of each of said members, to receive information from the VOIP server regarding the identity of members being or coming on-line, or going off-line;

    resident software provided in the PC of each of said members, to activate or deactivate a presence indicator, available to the user of said PC, which is indicative of the presence of one or more community members on-line; and

    VOIP communication apparatus, provided with each community member, suitable to permit voice-over-IP communication of a WAN.

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