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System and methods for facilitating a multiparty communications session with a dynamically designated session manager

  • US 7,987,233 B1
  • Filed: 08/15/2003
  • Issued: 07/26/2011
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2003
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A method of initiating and managing a multiparty communications session, the method comprising:

  • creating a communication link between a first participant and a second participant for the communication of media therebetween;

    creating a communication link between the first participant and a third participant for the communication of media therebetween;

    creating a communication link between the second participant and the third participant for the communication of media therebetween;

    determining whether a characteristic associated with the first participant meets a predetermined criterion;

    upon determining that the characteristic meets the predetermined criterion, designating the first participant as a session manager of the multiparty communications session for receiving all session management messages from participants in the multiparty communications session and for;

    controlling the admission of an additional participant to the multiparty communications session;

    responding to a participant exiting the multiparty communications session;

    maintaining an authoritative list of participants in the multiparty communications session;

    updating the authoritative list of participants in the multiparty communications session in response to participants joining and exiting the multiparty communications session; and

    exclusively synchronizing the authoritative list of participants in the multiparty communications session with each of the participants in the multiparty communications session;

    issuing, by the first participant, an invitation inviting the additional participant to join the multiparty communications session, wherein the invitation includes the authoritative list of participants in the multiparty communications session, the authoritative list of participants including at least the second and third participants; and

    when the additional participant is admitted to the multiparty communications session, creating a communication link between the additional participant and the first participant for the communication of media therebetween, a communication link between the additional participant and the second participant for the communication of media therebetween, and a communication link between the additional participant and the third participant for the communication of media therebetween, so that the additional participant can communicate with the other participants without having to route the communication through the session manager,wherein each participant is an end point for the bi-directional communication of media in the multiparty communications session,wherein the additional participant uses the authoritative list of participants to join the multiparty communications session, by;

    sending a message to each of at least the second and third participants;

    receiving a successful response to the message from each of at least the second and third participants;

    when the additional participant has received the successful response to the message from each of at least the second and third participants, sending a message to the first participant; and

    creating a communication link between the additional participant and each of at least the second and third participants for the communication of media therebetween, andwherein only the first participant that has been designated as the session manager of the multiparty communications session may issue the invitation inviting the additional participant to join the multiparty communications session.

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