Method, apparatus, system, medium, and signals for intercepting a multiple-party communication

• US 7,950,046 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2007
• Issued: 05/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AK Meeting IP LLC (Pueblo Nuevo LLC)
• Original Assignee: Uranus International Limited
• Inventors: Kropivny, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Ellen
• Application Number:
  US11/694,865
• Publication Number:
  US 20080244702A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,516 Days
• Field of Search: 726/3, 713/150
• US Class Current: 726/3
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities

Abstract

Systems, apparatus and methods related to multiple-party communications conducted between client computers in a computer network. For example, a method and apparatus for intercepting a multiple-party communication between a plurality of client computers in communication with a server in a computer network is disclosed. The method involves receiving an input message at the server, the message representing user input received at one of the plurality of client computers, producing an output message representing the user input provided by the input message. The method further involves authorizing a designated client computer that is not part of the multiple-party communication to communicate with the server to cause the server to transmit output messages to the designated client computer, and transmitting the output message to each of the plurality of client computers and to the designated client computer. A method and apparatus for supporting access to a plurality of saved messages by a designated client computer in communication with a server in a computer network is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for intercepting a multiple-party communication between a plurality of client computers in communication with a server in a computer network, the method comprising:

receiving an input message at the server, said message representing user input received at one of the plurality of client computers;

causing the server to produce an output message representing said user input provided by said input message;

receiving a request from a lawful intercept client computer that is not part of the multiple-party communication to intercept the multiple-party communication;

permitting the lawful intercept client computer to join the multiple party communication; and

causing the server to transmit said output message to each of the plurality of client computers and to said lawful intercept client computer; and

causing input messages received from said lawful intercept client computer to be ignored by the server.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving said input message comprises receiving a plurality of input messages, said plurality of messages being representative of content created during the multiple party communication.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein permitting the lawful intercept client computer to join the multiple party communication comprises permitting the lawful intercept client computer to join the multiple party communication as a hidden participant such that other parties in the multiple party communication remain unaware that the lawful intercept client computer has joined the communication.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining a message type associated with said input message and wherein said transmitting comprises transmitting said output message to:

a) each of the plurality of client computers when said input message is associated with a persistent message type;

b) ones of the plurality of client computers that meet a criterion when said input message is associated with a non-persistent message type; and

c) said lawful intercept client computer when said input message is associated with a persistent message type or a non-persistent message type.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting at least one identifier identifying multiple-party communications being hosted by the server to the lawful intercept client computer.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein transmitting said at least one identifier comprises transmitting a web page including:

an identifier identifying at least one multiple-party communication; and

information associated with said at least one multiple-party communication.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein receiving said request from said lawful intercept client computer to intercept the multiple-party communication comprises receiving a communication identifier identifying said multiple-party communication.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

storing a client identification of said lawful intercept client computer in a client table associated with said multiple-party communication in response to receiving said request, said client identification being operable to indicate to the server that output messages associated with said multiple-party communication should be transmitted to said lawful intercept client computer; and

associating a silent flag with said client identification, said silent flag indicating that said client identification is associated with a lawful intercept client computer.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising transmitting user interface program codes to said lawful intercept client computer, said program codes being operable to direct a processor circuit of said lawful intercept client computer to display a user interface for viewing content associated with said output messages transmitted to said lawful intercept client computer.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising causing output messages transmitted to at least some of the plurality of client computers prior to storing said client identification of said lawful intercept client computer in said client table, to be transmitted to said lawful intercept client computer.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein causing input messages received from said lawful intercept client computer that are operable to produce changes to the multiple party communication content to be ignored by the server comprises:

receiving an input message from said lawful intercept client computer, said message representing user input received at said lawful intercept client computer;

determining whether said input message represents a request from the lawful intercept client computer to discontinue the intercepting of said multiple-party communication;

causing said client identification associated with said lawful intercept client computer in said client table to be deleted when said input message represents a request from the lawful intercept client computer to discontinue intercepting said multiple-party communication; and

causing said input message to be ignored by the server when said input message does not represent a request from the lawful intercept client computer to discontinue intercepting said multiple-party communication.

12. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

determining a first number of client computers having client identifications in said client table;

determining a second number of client computers having client identifications in said client table with said silent flag set to active, said second number corresponding to a number of lawful intercept client computers intercepting said multiple-party communication;

computing a client count number by taking a difference between said first number and said second number, said client count number representing a number of client computers other than said lawful intercept client computer in said multiple-party communication; and

transmitting said client count number to the plurality of client computers in said multiple-party communication.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein authorizing said lawful intercept client computer comprises authenticating a user of said lawful intercept client computer.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said authenticating comprises receiving an authentication indicator from an authentication server, said authentication indicator providing validation of credentials provided by said user wishing to intercept the multiple-party communication.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving media messages from at least a first participant in the multiple-party communication, said media messages representing at least one of audio and video content communicated during a media communication associated with the multiple-party-communication;

transmitting said media messages to at least a second participant in the multiple-party communication; and

transmitting intercept information to said lawful intercept client computer.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein transmitting said intercept information comprises transmitting at least one of:

information identifying said first and second participants;

information identifying a time of said media communication;

information identifying a duration of said media communication; and

copies of said media messages including said at least one of said audio and said video content.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

saving messages representing content produced during the multiple party communication, each saved message representing a portion of said content;

authorizing a designated client computer to access said saved messages;

receiving a request from the designated client computer to access the saved messages;

reading the saved messages from persistent memory storage on a server;

reading a transmission time associated with each saved message;

producing respective output messages representing content provided by respective saved messages; and

transmitting each of said output messages to the designated client computer at time intervals corresponding to time intervals between transmissions of said saved messages during the previous multiple-party communication.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein transmitting each of said output messages at time intervals corresponding to said time intervals between transmissions of said saved messages comprises transmitting said output messages at modified time intervals to cause one of an increased transmission rate and a decreased transmission rate of said output messages to the designated client computer.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein transmitting said output messages comprises transmitting respective output messages to the designated client computer in a sequence corresponding to a sequence in which the saved messages were received during the previous multiple-party communication.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprising receiving said output messages at the designated client computer and displaying a user interface for playback of content associated with said output messages.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein authorizing said designated client computer comprises authenticating a user of said designated client computer.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein said authenticating comprises receiving an authentication indicator from an authentication server, said authentication indicator providing validation of credentials provided by the user wishing to access the saved messages.

23. The method of claim 17 further comprising transmitting at least one identifier identifying at least one previous multiple-party communication saved in said persistent memory storage on the server, to the designated client computer.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein transmitting said at least one identifier comprises transmitting a web page including:

an identifier identifying at least one previous multiple-party communication; and

information associated with said at least one previous multiple-party communication.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising receiving a request from said designated client computer to access the saved messages associated with said previous multiple-party communication, said request including a communication identifier identifying said previous multiple-party communication.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

creating a designated client communication having only the designated client computer as a client;

associating a client table with the designated client communication; and

storing a client identification of said designated client computer in said client table, said client identification being operable to indicate to the server that output messages associated with said previous multiple-party communication should be transmitted to said designated client computer.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising setting a hidden flag associated with said designated client communication to active to cause the server not to display information identifying said designated client communication for view by client computers joining other multiple-party communications hosted by the server.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising transmitting user interface program codes to said designated client computer, said program codes being operable to direct a processor circuit of said designated client computer to display a user interface for viewing content associated with output messages transmitted to said designated client computer.

29. The method of claim 17 wherein producing said output messages comprises copying respective saved messages into a transmit buffer associated with the designated client computer.

30. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of client computers and said lawful intercept client computer has meeting content displayed on an associated display area, wherein said meeting content comprises web page content associated with a web site accessible over the computer network, and wherein:

receiving said input message comprises receiving a first cursor message at the server from said at least one of said plurality of client computers, said first cursor message representing a change in a position of a first cursor associated with said client computer in response to user input received from a user of said client computer; and

producing said output message comprises producing a first pointer message in response to said first cursor message, said first pointer message representing said change in said position of said first cursor provided by said first cursor message; and

wherein said transmitting comprises transmitting said pointer message to each of the plurality of client computers and to said lawful intercept client computer to cause display of a first pointer within said meeting content on said display area on each of said plurality of client computers and said lawful intercept client computer.

31. An apparatus for intercepting a multiple-party communication between a plurality of client computers in communication with a server in a computer network, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving an input message at the server, said message representing user input received at one of the plurality of client computers;

means for causing the server to produce an output message representing said user input provided by said input message;

means for authorizing a lawful intercept client computer that is not part of the multiple-party communication to communicate with the server;

means for causing the server to transmit said output message to each of the plurality of client computers and to said lawful intercept client computer; and

means for causing input messages received from said lawful intercept client computer to be ignored by the server.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein said means for receiving said input message comprises means for receiving a plurality of input messages, said plurality of messages being representative of content created during the multiple party communication.

33. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein said means for permitting the lawful intercept client computer to join the multiple party communication comprises means for permitting the lawful intercept client computer to join the multiple party communication as a hidden participant such that other parties in the multiple party communication remain unaware that the lawful intercept client computer has joined the communication.

34. The apparatus of claim 31 further comprising means for determining a message type associated with said input message and wherein said means for transmitting comprises means for transmitting said output message to:

a) each of the plurality of client computers when said input message is associated with a persistent message type;

b) ones of the plurality of client computers that meet a criterion when said input message is associated with a non-persistent message type; and

c) said lawful intercept client computer when said input message is associated with a persistent message type or a non-persistent message type.

35. The apparatus of claim 31 further comprising means for transmitting at least one identifier identifying multiple-party communications being hosted by the server to the lawful intercept client computer.

36. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein said means for transmitting said at least one identifier comprises means for transmitting a web page including:

an identifier identifying at least one multiple-party communication; and

information associated with said at least one multiple-party communication.

37. The apparatus of claim 36 further comprising means for receiving a request from said lawful intercept client computer to intercept a selected multiple-party communication, said request including a communication identifier identifying said selected multiple-party communication.

38. The apparatus of claim 37 further comprising:

means for storing a client identification of said lawful intercept client computer in a client table associated with said selected multiple-party communication in response to receiving said request, said client identification being operable to indicate to the server that output messages associated with said selected multiple-party communication should be transmitted to said lawful intercept client computer; and

means for associating a silent flag with said client identification, said silent flag indicating that said client identification is associated with a lawful intercept client computer.

39. The apparatus of claim 38 further comprising means for transmitting user interface program codes to said lawful intercept client computer, said program codes being operable to direct a processor circuit of said lawful intercept client computer to display a user interface for viewing content associated with said output messages transmitted to said lawful intercept client computer.

40. The apparatus of claim 38 further comprising means for causing output messages transmitted to at least some of the plurality of client computers prior to storing said client identification of said lawful intercept client computer in said client table, to be transmitted to said lawful intercept client computer.

41. The apparatus of claim 38 further comprising:

means for receiving an input message from said lawful intercept client computer, said message representing user input received at said lawful intercept client computer;

means for determining whether said input message represents a request from the lawful intercept client computer to discontinue the intercepting of said selected multiple-party communication;

means for causing said client identification associated with said lawful intercept client computer in said client table to be deleted when said input message represents a request from the lawful intercept client computer to discontinue intercepting said selected multiple-party communication; and

means for causing said input message to be ignored by the server when said input message does not represent a request from the lawful intercept client computer to discontinue intercepting said selected multiple-party communication.

42. The apparatus of claim 38 further comprising:

means for determining a first number of client computers having client identifications in said client table;

means for determining a second number of client computers having client identifications in said client table with said silent flag set to active, said second number corresponding to a number of lawful intercept client computers intercepting said selected multiple-party communication;

means for computing a client count number by taking a difference between said first number and said second number, said client count number representing a number of non-lawful intercept client computers in said selected multiple-party communication; and

means for transmitting said client count number to the plurality of client computers in said selected multiple-party communication.

43. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein said means for authorizing said lawful intercept client computer comprises means for authenticating a user of said lawful intercept client computer.

44. The apparatus of claim 43 wherein said means for authenticating comprises means for receiving an authentication indicator from an authentication server, said authentication indicator providing validation of credentials provided by said user wishing to intercept the multiple-party communication.

45. The apparatus of claim 31 further comprising:

means for receiving media messages from at least a first participant in the multiple-party communication, said media messages representing at least one of audio and video content communicated during a media communication associated with the multiple-party-communication;

means for transmitting said media messages to at least a second participant in the multiple-party communication; and

means for transmitting intercept information to said lawful intercept client computer.

46. The apparatus of claim 45 wherein said means for transmitting said intercept information comprises means for transmitting at least one of:

information identifying said first and second participants;

information identifying a time of said media communication;

information identifying a duration of said media communication; and

copies of said media messages including said at least one of said audio and said video content.

47. The apparatus of claim 31 further comprising:

means for saving messages representing content produced during the previous multiple party communication, each saved message representing a portion of said content;

means for authorizing a designated client computer to access said saved messages;

means for receiving a request from a lawful intercept client computer to access the saved messages;

means for reading the saved messages from persistent memory storage on a server;

means for reading a transmission time associated with each saved message;

means for producing respective output messages representing content provided by respective saved messages; and

means for transmitting each of said output messages to the designated client computer at time intervals corresponding to time intervals between transmissions of said saved messages during the previous multiple-party communication.

48. The apparatus of claim 47 wherein said means for transmitting each of said output messages at time intervals corresponding to said time intervals between transmissions of said saved messages comprises means for transmitting said output messages at modified time intervals to cause one of an increased transmission rate and a decreased transmission rate of said output messages to the designated client computer.

49. The apparatus of claim 47 wherein said means for transmitting said output messages comprises means for transmitting respective output messages to the designated client computer in a sequence corresponding to a sequence in which the saved messages were received during the previous multiple-party communication.

50. The apparatus of claim 47 further comprising means for receiving said output messages at the designated client computer and means for displaying a user interface for playback of content associated with said output messages.

51. The apparatus of claim 47 wherein said means for authorizing said designated client computer comprises means for authenticating a user of said designated client computer.

52. The apparatus of claim 51 wherein said means for authenticating comprises means for receiving an authentication indicator from an authentication server, said authentication indicator providing validation of credentials provided by the user wishing to access the saved messages.

53. The apparatus of claim 47 further comprising means for transmitting at least one identifier identifying at least one previous multiple-party communication saved in said persistent memory storage on the server, to the designated client computer.

54. The apparatus of claim 53 wherein said means for transmitting said at least one identifier comprises means for transmitting a web page including:

an identifier identifying at least one previous multiple-party communication; and

information associated with said at least one previous multiple-party communication.

55. The apparatus of claim 54 further comprising means for receiving a request from said designated client computer to access the saved messages associated with said previous multiple-party communication, said request including a communication identifier identifying said previous multiple-party communication.

56. The apparatus of claim 55 further comprising:

means for creating a designated client communication having only the designated client computer as a client;

means for associating a client table with the designated client communication; and

means for storing a client identification of said designated client computer in said client table, said client identification being operable to indicate to the server that output messages associated with said previous multiple-party communication should be transmitted to said designated client computer.

57. The apparatus of claim 56 further comprising means for setting a hidden flag associated with said designated client communication to active to cause the server not to display information identifying said designated client communication for view by client computers joining other multiple-party communications hosted by the server.

58. The apparatus of claim 57 further comprising means for transmitting user interface program codes to said designated client computer, said program codes being operable to direct a processor circuit of said designated client computer to display a user interface for viewing content associated with output messages transmitted to said designated client computer.

59. The apparatus of claim 47 wherein said means for producing said output messages comprises means for copying respective saved messages into a transmit buffer associated with the designated client computer.

60. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein each of the plurality of client computers and said lawful intercept client computer has meeting content displayed on an associated display area, wherein said meeting content comprises web page content associated with a web site accessible over the computer network, and wherein:

said means for receiving said input message comprises means for receiving a first cursor message at the server from said at least one of said plurality of client computers, said first cursor message representing a change in a position of a first cursor associated with said client computer in response to user input received from a user of said client computer;

said means for producing said output message comprises means for producing a first pointer message in response to said first cursor message, said first pointer message representing said change in said position of said first cursor provided by said first cursor message; and

wherein said means for transmitting comprises means for transmitting said pointer message to each of the plurality of client computers and to said lawful intercept client computer to cause display of a first pointer within said meeting content on said display area on each of said plurality of client computers and said lawful intercept client computer.

61. An apparatus for intercepting a multiple-party communication between a plurality of client computers in communication with a server in a computer network, the apparatus comprising a processor circuit operably configured to:

receive an input message at the server, said message representing user input received at one of the plurality of client computers;

cause the server to produce an output message representing said user input provided by said input message;

authorize a lawful intercept client computer that is not part of the multiple-party communication to communicate with the server;

cause the server to transmit said output message to each of the plurality of client computers and to said lawful intercept client computer; and

cause input messages received from said lawful intercept client computer to be ignored by the server.

62. The apparatus of claim 61 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to receive said input message by receiving a plurality of input messages, said plurality of messages being representative of content created during the multiple party communication.

63. The apparatus of claim 61 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to permit the lawful intercept client computer to join the multiple party communication by permitting the lawful intercept client computer to join the multiple party communication as a hidden participant such that other parties in the multiple party communication remain unaware that the lawful intercept client computer has joined the communication.

64. The apparatus of claim 61 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to determine a message type associated with said input message and wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to transmit said output message to:

a) each of the plurality of client computers when said input message is associated with a persistent message type;

b) ones of the plurality of client computers that meet a criterion when said input message is associated with a non-persistent message type; and

c) said lawful intercept client computer when said input message is associated with a persistent message type or a non-persistent message type.

65. The apparatus of claim 61 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to transmit at least one identifier identifying multiple-party communications being hosted by the server to the lawful intercept client computer.

66. The apparatus of claim 65 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to transmitting said at least one identifier by transmitting a web page including:

an identifier identifying at least one multiple-party communication; and

information associated with said at least one multiple-party communication.

67. The apparatus of claim 66 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to receive a request from said lawful intercept client computer to intercept a selected multiple-party communication, said request including a communication identifier identifying said selected multiple-party communication.

68. The apparatus of claim 67 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to:

store a client identification of said lawful intercept client computer in a client table associated with said selected multiple-party communication in response to receiving said request, said client identification being operable to indicate to the server that output messages associated with said selected multiple-party communication should be transmitted to said lawful intercept client computer; and

associate a silent flag with said client identification, said silent flag indicating that said client identification is associated with a lawful intercept client computer.

69. The apparatus of claim 68 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to transmit user interface program codes to said lawful intercept client computer, said program codes being operable to direct a processor circuit of said lawful intercept client computer to display a user interface for viewing content associated with said output messages transmitted to said lawful intercept client computer.

70. The apparatus of claim 68 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to cause output messages transmitted to at least some of the plurality of client computers prior to storing said client identification of said lawful intercept client computer in said client table, to be transmitted to said lawful intercept client computer.

71. The apparatus of claim 68 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to:

receive an input message from said lawful intercept client computer, said message representing user input received at said lawful intercept client computer;

determine whether said input message represents a request from the lawful intercept client computer to discontinue the intercepting of said selected multiple-party communication;

cause said client identification associated with said lawful intercept client computer in said client table to be deleted when said input message represents a request from the lawful intercept client computer to discontinue intercepting said selected multiple-party communication; and

cause said input message to be ignored by the server when said input message does not represent a request from the lawful intercept client computer to discontinue intercepting said selected multiple-party communication.

72. The apparatus of claim 68 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to:

determine a first number of client computers having client identifications in said client table;

determine a second number of client computers having client identifications in said client table with said silent flag set to active, said second number corresponding to a number of lawful intercept client computers intercepting said selected multiple-party communication;

compute a client count number by taking a difference between said first number and said second number, said client count number representing a number of non-lawful intercept client computers in said selected multiple-party communication; and

transmit said client count number to the plurality of client computers in said selected multiple-party communication.

73. The apparatus of claim 61 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to authorize said lawful intercept client computer by authenticating a user of said lawful intercept client computer.

74. The apparatus of claim 73 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to receive an authentication indicator from an authentication server, said authentication indicator providing validation of credentials provided by said user wishing to intercept the multiple-party communication.

75. The apparatus of claim 61 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to:

receive media messages from at least a first participant in the multiple-party communication, said media messages representing at least one of audio and video content communicated during a media communication associated with the multiple-party-communication;

transmit said media messages to at least a second participant in the multiple-party communication; and

transmit intercept information to said lawful intercept client computer.

76. The apparatus of claim 75 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to transmit said intercept information by transmitting at least one of:

information identifying said first and second participants;

information identifying a time of said media communication;

information identifying a duration of said media communication; and

copies of said media messages including said at least one of said audio and said video content.

77. The apparatus of claim 61, wherein said processor circuit is further operably configured to:

save messages representing content produced during the previous multiple party communication, each saved message representing a portion of said content;

authorize a designated client computer to access said saved messages;

receive a request from a lawful intercept client computer to access the saved messages;

read the saved messages from persistent memory storage on a server;

read a transmission time associated with each saved message; and

produce respective output messages representing content provided by respective saved messages; and

transmit each of said output messages to the designated client computer at time intervals corresponding to time intervals between transmissions of said saved messages during the previous multiple-party communication.

78. The apparatus of claim 77 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to transmit said output messages at modified time intervals to cause one of an increased transmission rate and a decreased transmission rate of said output messages to the designated client computer.

79. The apparatus of claim 77 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to transmit respective output messages to the designated client computer in a sequence corresponding to a sequence in which the saved messages were received during the previous multiple-party communication.

80. The apparatus of claim 77 further comprising a designated computer operably configured to receive said output messages and operably configured to display a user interface for playback of content associated with said output messages.

81. The apparatus of claim 77 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to authorize said designated client computer by authenticating a user of said designated client computer.

82. The apparatus of claim 81 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to receive an authentication indicator from an authentication server, said authentication indicator providing validation of credentials provided by the user wishing to access the saved messages.

83. The apparatus of claim 77 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to transmit at least one identifier identifying at least one previous multiple-party communication saved in said persistent memory storage on the server, to the designated client computer.

84. The apparatus of claim 83 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to transmit said at least one identifier by transmitting a web page including:

an identifier identifying at least one previous multiple-party communication; and

information associated with said at least one previous multiple-party communication.

85. The apparatus of claim 84 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to receive a request from said designated client computer to access the saved messages associated with said previous multiple-party communication, said request including a communication identifier identifying said previous multiple-party communication.

86. The apparatus of claim 85 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to:

create a designated client communication having only the designated client computer as a client;

associate a client table with the designated client communication; and

store a client identification of said designated client computer in said client table, said client identification being operable to indicate to the server that output messages associated with said previous multiple-party communication should be transmitted to said designated client computer.

87. The apparatus of claim 86 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to set a hidden flag associated with said designated client communication to active to cause the server not to display information identifying said designated client communication for view by client computers joining other multiple-party communications hosted by the server.

88. The apparatus of claim 87 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to transmit user interface program codes to said designated client computer, said program codes being operable to direct a processor circuit of said designated client computer to display a user interface for viewing content associated with output messages transmitted to said designated client computer.

89. The apparatus of claim 77 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to produce said output messages by copying respective saved messages into a transmit buffer associated with the designated client computer.

90. The apparatus of claim 61 wherein each of the plurality of client computers and said lawful intercept client computer has meeting content displayed on an associated display area, wherein said meeting content comprises web page content associated with a web site accessible over the computer network, and wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to:

receive said input message by receiving a first cursor message at the server from said at least one of said plurality of client computers, said first cursor message representing a change in a position of a first cursor associated with said client computer in response to user input received from a user of said client computer;

produce said output message by producing a first pointer message in response to said first cursor message, said first pointer message representing said change in said position of said first cursor provided by said first cursor message; and

transmit said pointer message to each of the plurality of client computers and to said lawful intercept client computer to cause display of a first pointer within said meeting content on said display area on each of said plurality of client computers and said lawful intercept client computer.

91. A non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with codes for directing a processor circuit of a server to intercept a multiple-party communication between a plurality of client computers in communication with the server in a computer network, said codes directing the processor circuit to:

receive an input message at the server, said message representing user input received at one of the plurality of client computers;

cause the server to produce an output message representing said user input provided by said input message;

authorize a lawful intercept client computer that is not part of the multiple-party communication to communicate with the server to cause the server to transmit output messages to said lawful intercept client computer;

cause the server to transmit said output message to each of the plurality of client computers and to said lawful intercept client computer; and

cause input messages received from said lawful intercept client computer to be ignored by the server.

92. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 91 further comprising codes for directing the processor circuit to:

save messages representing content produced during the previous multiple party communication, each saved message representing a portion of said content;

authorize a designated client computer to access said saved messages;

receive a request from a lawful intercept client computer to access the saved messages;

read the saved messages from persistent memory storage on the server;

read a transmission time associated with each saved message;

produce respective output messages representing content provided by respective saved messages; and

transmit each of said output messages to the designated client computer at time intervals corresponding to time intervals between transmissions of said saved messages during the previous multiple-party communication.

93. The apparatus of claim 91 wherein each of the plurality of client computers and said lawful intercept client computer has meeting content displayed on an associated display area, wherein said meeting content comprises web page content associated with a web site accessible over the computer network, and wherein said codes further direct the processor circuit to:

receive said input message by receiving a first cursor message at the server from said at least one of said plurality of client computers, said first cursor message representing a change in a position of a first cursor associated with said client computer in response to user input received from a user of said client computer;

produce said output message by producing a first pointer message in response to said first cursor message, said first pointer message representing said change in said position of said first cursor provided by said first cursor message; and

transmit said pointer message to each of the plurality of client computers and to said lawful intercept client computer to cause display of a first pointer within said meeting content on said display area on each of said plurality of client computers and said lawful intercept client computer.

94. A system for intercepting a multiple-party communication between a plurality of client computers in communication with a server in a computer network, the system comprising:

a server processor circuit operably configured to;

receive an input message at the server, said message representing user input received at one of the plurality of client computers;

produce an output message representing said user input provided by said input message;

authorize a lawful intercept client computer that is not part of the multiple-party communication to communicate with the server; and

transmit said output message to each of the plurality of client computers and to said lawful intercept client computer;

cause input messages received from said lawful intercept client computer to be ignored by the server,

said lawful intercept client processor circuit being operably configured to;

receive said output messages; and

display a user interface for viewing content associated with said output messages received by said lawful intercept client computer.

95. The system of claim 94 further comprising a communications network through which communications are conducted between the server, the plurality of client computers, and the lawful intercept client computer.

96. The system of claim 94 wherein:

said server processor circuit is further operably configured to;

save messages representing content produced during the previous multiple party communication, each saved message representing a portion of said content;

authorize a designated client computer to access said saved messages;

receive a request from a lawful intercept client computer to access the saved messages;

read the saved messages from persistent memory storage on the server;

read a transmission time associated with each saved message;

produce respective output messages representing content provided by respective saved messages;

transmit each of said output messages to the designated client computer at time intervals corresponding to time intervals between transmissions of said saved messages during the previous multiple-party communication;

said designated client computer processor circuit is operably configured to;

receive said output messages; and

display a user interface for viewing content associated with said output messages.

97. The system of claim 96 further comprising a communications network through which communications are conducted between said server and said designated client computer.

98. The apparatus of claim 94 wherein each of the plurality of client computers and said lawful intercept client computer has meeting content displayed on an associated display area, wherein said meeting content comprises web page content associated with a web site accessible over the computer network, and wherein said server processor circuit is operably configured to:

receive said input message by receiving a first cursor message at the server from said at least one of said plurality of client computers, said first cursor message representing a change in a position of a first cursor associated with said client computer in response to user input received from a user of said client computer;

produce said output message by producing a first pointer message in response to said first cursor message, said first pointer message representing said change in said position of said first cursor provided by said first cursor message; and

transmit said pointer message to each of the plurality of client computers and to said lawful intercept client computer to cause display of a first pointer within said meeting content on said display area on each of said plurality of client computers and said lawful intercept client computer.