System and method for combining instant messaging and video communication systems

• US 8,872,884 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2012
• Issued: 10/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vidyo Incorporated (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Original Assignee: Vidyo Incorporated (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Inventors: Robertson, Jeffrey S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur
• Application Number:
  US13/487,008
• Publication Number:
  US 20120274725A1
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• Field of Search: 348 1401- 1416, 370260-261, 709/204
• US Class Current: 348/14.08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1818 Conference organisation arrangements, e.g. handling schedules, setting up parameters needed by nodes to attend a conference, booking network resources, notifying involved parties
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4038 with floor control
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5054 Meet-me conference, i.e. participants dial-in
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/652 Call initiation triggered by text message
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/152 Multipoint control units therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/155 involving storage of or access to video conference sessions tracking arrangements for later retrieval of a computer conference content or participants activities H04L12/1831

Abstract

A method and apparatus for initiating videoconferences in instant messaging systems is described, including posting of a videoconference URL in the instant messaging chat window if any of the desired participants of the videoconferencing session is unavailable, so that the unavailable participants can simply click on the videoconference URL and join the videoconferencing session.

Claims

1. A method of initiating a videoconference between an initiating user and one or more selected users of an instant messaging system, the method comprising:

receiving a request from the initiating user to create a videoconference between himself and the one or more selected users;

verifying that the initiating user is not in a videoconference or is in a videoconference that he is allowed to manage;

if the initiating user is not a videoconference, starting a new videoconference;

if the videoconference does not have an associated URL, requesting that an associated videoconference URL is created;

obtaining the associated videoconference URL;

requesting that the one or more selected users are added to the videoconference;

checking if any of the one or more selected users is unavailable to be added to the videoconference; and

if any of the one or more selected instant messaging system users is unavailable to be added to the videoconference, posting the associated videoconferencing URL to an instant messaging chat window of the initiating user and the one or more selected users so that the one or more selected users can join the videoconference by clicking the associated videoconferencing URL.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the initiating user request is performed through graphical user interface means.

3. A method of initiating a videoconference between an initiating user and one or more selected users of an instant messaging system, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a request from the initiating user to create a videoconference between himself and the one or more selected users;

obtaining the user names of the initiating user and the one or more selected users from the instant messaging system;

obtaining, from the user names of the initiating user and each of the one or more selected users, the associated user names in the videoconferencing system;

verifying that the initiating user is not in a videoconference or is in a videoconference that he is allowed to manage;

if the initiating user is not a videoconference, starting a new videoconference;

if the videoconference does not have an associated URL, creating an associated videoconference URL;

obtaining the associated videoconference URL;

requesting that the one or more selected users are added to the videoconference;

checking if any of the one or more selected users is unavailable to be added to the videoconference; and

if any of the one or more selected users is unavailable to be added to the videoconference, posting the associated videoconferencing URL to an instant messaging chat window of the initiating user and the one or more selected users so that the one or more selected users can join the videoconference by clicking the associated videoconferencing URL.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the initiating user request is performed through graphical user interface means.

5. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for initiating videoconferencing sessions from instant messaging sessions, the computer-readable medium having a set of instructions operable to direct a processing system to:

receive a request from the initiating user to create a videoconference between himself and the one or more selected users;

verify that the initiating user is not in a videoconference or is in a videoconference that he is allowed to manage;

if the initiating user is not a videoconference, start a new videoconference;

if the videoconference does not have an associated URL, request that an associated videoconference URL is created;

obtain the associated videoconference URL;

request that the one or more selected users are added to the videoconference;

check if any of the one or more selected users is unavailable to be added to the videoconference; and

if any of the one or more selected instant messaging system users is unavailable to be added to the videoconference, post the associated videoconferencing URL to an instant messaging chat window of the initiating user and the one or more selected users so that the one or more selected users can join the videoconference by clicking the associated videoconferencing URL.

6. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 5, wherein the initiating user request is performed through graphical user interface means.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for initiating a videoconference between an initiating user and one or more selected users of an instant messaging system, the computer-readable medium having a set of instructions operable to direct a processing system to:

receive a request from the initiating user to create a videoconference between himself and the one or more selected users;

obtain the user names of the initiating user and the one or more selected users from the instant messaging system;

obtain, from the user names of the initiating user and each of the one or more selected users, the associated user names in the videoconferencing system;

verify that the initiating user is not in a videoconference or is in a videoconference that he is allowed to manage;

if the initiating user is not a videoconference, start a new videoconference;

if the videoconference does not have an associated URL, create an associated videoconference URL;

obtain the associated videoconference URL;

request that the one or more selected users are added to the videoconference;

check if any of the one or more selected users is unavailable to be added to the videoconference; and

if any of the one or more selected users is unavailable to be added to the videoconference, post the associated videoconferencing URL to an instant messaging chat window of the initiating user and the one or more selected users so that the one or more selected users can join the videoconference by clicking the associated videoconferencing URL.

8. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein the initiating user request is performed through graphical user interface means.