Multiparty communications systems and methods that utilize multiple modes of communication
First Claim
1. A method for facilitating dynamic communications amongst multiple users, the method comprising:
- maintaining a user in an instant ready-on mode of communication with a plurality of other users;
maintaining the user in an intermediate mode of communication with a first group that includes a first subset of the plurality of other users; and
maintaining the user in an active mode of communication with a subgroup that includes one or more of the users in the first group, wherein;
the instant ready-on mode of communication enables the user to initiate a communication with at least one of the plurality of other users via a pre-existing communication link between the user and the at least one of the plurality of other users;
the intermediate mode of communication enables the user to receive contextual communications from the users in the first group; and
the active mode of communication enables the user to receive live video communications from the one or more users in the subgroup.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Improved methods, systems, and devices for managing communications are provided. A user device may display all ongoing communications so that a user can visualize the communications network or some subset thereof (e.g., a subgroup or group of users). A system may maintain the user device in an instant ready-on mode of communication with the other user devices. A user may then initiate communications with a subgroup (e.g., a pair) or group without initiating a new connection. Accordingly, a user can simultaneously and fluidly communicate at the subgroup level, at the group level, or at the inter-group level. Moreover, users can function as independent actors that can freely form and leave subgroups as well as groups.
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Citations
66 Claims
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1. A method for facilitating dynamic communications amongst multiple users, the method comprising:
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maintaining a user in an instant ready-on mode of communication with a plurality of other users; maintaining the user in an intermediate mode of communication with a first group that includes a first subset of the plurality of other users; and maintaining the user in an active mode of communication with a subgroup that includes one or more of the users in the first group, wherein; the instant ready-on mode of communication enables the user to initiate a communication with at least one of the plurality of other users via a pre-existing communication link between the user and the at least one of the plurality of other users; the intermediate mode of communication enables the user to receive contextual communications from the users in the first group; and the active mode of communication enables the user to receive live video communications from the one or more users in the subgroup. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for facilitating dynamic communications amongst multiple users, the method comprising:
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maintaining a user in an instant ready-on mode of communication with a plurality of other users; maintaining the user in an intermediate mode of communication with a first group that includes a first subset of the plurality of other users; maintaining the user in an active mode of communication with a subgroup that includes one or more of the users in the first group, wherein; the instant ready-on mode of communication enables the user to initiate a communication with at least one of the plurality of other users via a pre-existing communication link between the user and the at least one of the plurality of other users; the intermediate mode of communication enables the user to receive a periodically updated image of each user in the first group; and the active mode of communication enables the user to receive a live video of each user in the subgroup. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method for facilitating dynamic communications amongst multiple users, the method comprising:
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maintaining a user in an instant ready-on mode of communication with a plurality of other users; receiving a first user input; upgrading to an active mode of communication between the user and a first other user of the plurality of other users based on the first user input; receiving a second user input; upgrading to an active mode of communication between the user and a second other user of the plurality of other users based on the second user input; receiving a video communication from the user; and transmitting the video communication to the first other user and the second other user. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A method for facilitating dynamic communications amongst multiple users, the method comprising
maintaining a user in an instant ready-on mode of communication with a plurality of other users, wherein the instant ready-on mode of communication enables the user to receive a communication from one of the plurality of other users via a pre-existing communication link between the user and the one of the plurality of other users; -
maintaining the user in an intermediate mode of communication with a first group that includes a first subset of the plurality of other users; maintaining the user in an active mode of communication with a subgroup that includes one or more of the users in the first group; receiving a first communication using the intermediate mode of communication; receiving a second communication using the active mode of communication; determining if a conflict exists between the first communication and the second communication; and in response to determining that a conflict exists, providing the first communication to the user in a less interruptive manner. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. A system for facilitating dynamic communications amongst multiple users, the system comprising:
a plurality of user devices that comprises; a first user device; a group of user devices in an intermediate mode of communication with the first user device; and a subgroup of user devices in an active mode of communication with the first user device, wherein; the subgroup includes one or more of the users in the group; and the first user device is in an instant ready-on mode of communication with the other user devices in the plurality. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62)
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63. A system for facilitating dynamic communications amongst multiple users, the system comprising:
a plurality of user devices that comprises; a first user device; a group of user devices in an intermediate mode of communication with the first user device; and a subgroup of user devices in an active mode of communication with the first user device, wherein; the subgroup includes one or more of the users in the group; the first user device is in an instant ready-on mode of communication with the other user devices in the plurality; and the first user device comprises; communications circuitry that receives both a first communication using the intermediate mode and a second communication using the active mode; and a processor, electrically coupled to the communications circuitry, that determines if a conflict exists between the first communication and the second communication. - View Dependent Claims (64, 65, 66)
Specification