Sharing social networking content in a conference user interface

• US 9,189,143 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2010
• Issued: 11/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: American Teleconferencing Services Limited (Premiere Global Services Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: American Teleconferencing Services Limited (Premiere Global Services Incorporated)
• Inventors: Jones, Boland T., Guthrie, David Michael, Owens, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Bengzon, Greg C
• Application Number:
  US12/790,110
• Publication Number:
  US 20110270923A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,999 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/043 using propagating acoustic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/157 defining a virtual conference space and using avatars or agents computer conference optimisation or adaptation H04L12/1827

Abstract

Various embodiments of systems, methods, and computer programs are disclosed for incorporating a social networking feature in a conferencing system. One embodiment is a method comprising: a conferencing server establishing an audio conference between a plurality of computing devices connected via a communication network; the conferencing server presenting to the computing devices a user interface associated with the audio conference, the user interface comprising a social networking component for providing a social networking feature to a participant during the audio conference; a social networking server authenticating the participant as a member of a social networking system; and during the audio conference, the conferencing server enabling the authenticated participant to access the social networking feature via the social networking component in the user interface.

Claims

1. A method for incorporating a social networking feature in a conferencing system, the method comprising:

a conferencing server establishing an audio conference between a plurality of participants in an online conference via computing devices connected via a communication network;

the conferencing server presenting to the computing devices a conference user interface during and associated with the audio conference, the conference user interface displaying an interactive participant object uniquely identifying only each of the participants in the audio conference, each of the interactive participant objects comprising a first display mode and a second display mode, the first display mode for displaying a unique graphical representation and participant profile information associated with the corresponding participant in a first display face, the second display mode being triggered by selection of the interactive participant object by one or more of the other participants during the audio conference and comprising one or more additional display faces simultaneously displayed adjacent the first display face and for displaying social networking content from one or more social networking accounts linked to the corresponding participant, wherein the interactive participant objects further comprise a user interface control for enabling the corresponding participant identified by the associated interactive participant object to configure the social networking content displayed in the one or more additional display faces to the one or more of the other participants upon selection of the interactive participant object;

a social networking server authenticating the social networking accounts;

during the audio conference, the conferencing user interface presenting the interactive participant objects in the first display mode in which the first display faces are displayed and the second display faces are not displayed; and

the conferencing server enabling a first participant to select the interactive participant object associated with a second participant and, in response to the selection by the first participant, the conferencing server modifying only the conference user interface presented to the first participant by presenting the selected interactive participant object associated with the second participant in the second display mode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second display mode comprises displaying the second display face as an expandable display face.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

returning the selected interactive participant object to the first display mode in response to a further selection of the interactive participant object.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the social networking content displayed in the one or more additional display faces further comprises a social networking communication channel for enabling the selecting participant to send a message comprising one or more of a chat, a wall post, and a comment to an item in a news feed.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the conference user interface further comprises a virtual conference location based on a simulated location view, the virtual conference location comprising:

a first graphical representation of a conference location according to the simulated location view; and

a second graphical representation of each of the participants with corresponding contact information displayed in the conference location.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the participant specifying the simulated location view.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising the conferencing server determining the simulated location view based on information related to at least one of the participants.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

the conferencing server receiving, from a first participant, a first selection for the simulated location view;

the conferencing server receiving, from a second participant, a second selection for the simulated location view, wherein the second selection is different than the first selection;

the conferencing server presenting the virtual conference location to the first participant according to the first selection; and

the conferencing server presenting the virtual conference location to the second participant according to the second selection.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the interactive participant objects comprise a cube object and the second display mode comprises expanding the one or more additional display faces from the first display face.

10. A method for sharing social networking content in an audio conference, the method comprising:

a conferencing server establishing an audio conference between a plurality of participants in an online conference via computing devices connected via a communication network;

the conferencing server presenting to the computing devices a conference user interface during and associated with the audio conference, the conference user interface displaying an interactive participant object uniquely identifying only each of the participants in the audio conference, each of the interactive participant objects comprising a first display mode and a second display mode, the first display mode for displaying a unique graphical representation and participant profile information associated with the corresponding participant in a first display face, the second display mode being triggered by selection of the interactive participant object by one or more of the other participants during the audio conference and comprising one or more additional display faces simultaneously displayed adjacent the first display face and for displaying social networking content from one or more social networking accounts associated with the corresponding participant, wherein the interactive participant objects further comprise a user interface control for enabling the corresponding participant identified by the associated interactive participant object to configure the social networking content to be displayed in the one or more additional display faces to the one or more of the other participants upon selection of the interactive participant object; and

during the audio conference, the conferencing server;

presenting the interactive participant objects in the first display mode in which the first display faces are displayed and the second display faces are not displayed; and

receiving a user selection from a first participant of the interactive participant object associated with a second participant and, in response to the user selection by the first participant, the conferencing server presenting the selected interactive participant object associated with the second participant to the first participant in the second display mode.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the social networking content comprises one or more of a user profile and a social networking communication channel.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the interactive participant objects comprises a cube object and the second display mode comprises expanding the one or more additional display faces from the first display face.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

returning the selected interactive participant object to the first display mode in response to a further selection of the interactive participant object.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the second display mode comprises expanding the one or more additional display faces from the first display face.

15. A method for incorporating social networking content in an audio conference, the method comprising:

a conferencing server establishing an audio conference between a plurality of participants in an online conference via computing devices connected via a communication network;

the conferencing server presenting to the computing devices a conference user interface associated with the audio conference, the conference user interface displaying an interactive participant object uniquely identifying only each of the participants in the audio conference, the interactive participant objects comprising a first display mode and a second display mode, the first display mode configured to display participant profile information associated with the corresponding participant in a first display face and the second display mode being triggered by selection of the interactive participant object by one or more of the other participants during the audio conference and configured to display social networking content associated with the corresponding participant in one or more additional display faces, wherein the interactive participant objects comprise a user interface control for enabling the corresponding participant identified by the associated interactive participant object to configure the social networking content displayed in the one or more additional to the one or more of the other participants upon selection of the interactive participant object;

during the audio conference, the conferencing server presenting the interactive participant objects in the first display mode;

receiving via the conference user interface a selection of one of the interactive participant objects by one of the participants in the audio conference;

if the selection is by the corresponding participant associated with the selected interactive participant object, the conferencing server enabling the selecting participant to input and provide new content to their social networking account via the selected interactive participant object; and

if the selection is by one of the participants other than the corresponding participant, the conferencing server presenting the selected interactive participant object in the second display mode.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the conferencing server enabling the selecting participant to input and provide new content to their social networking account comprises one or more of changing a profile, commenting on an item in a news feed, and posting to a news feed.