Carol A Harris

US Patent:

20070253424, Nov 1, 2007

Filed:

May 1, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/799329

Inventors:

Christopher Herot - Newton Highlands MA, US
Onur Mergen - Arlington MA, US
Bernard Costello - Brighton MA, US
Charles Digate - Winchester MA, US
Carol Harris - Concord MA, US

International Classification:

H04L 12/56
H04L 12/16

US Classification:

370395200, 370260000

Abstract:

A real-time communications system for initiating a real-time communications session involving a plurality of users that brings together the most appropriate individuals to participate in an on-line meeting or teleconference. A user who is a prospective participant in an on-line meeting or teleconference clicks on a hyperlink contained in a document to access a query form. Next, the user enters personal identifying information on the query form. Information relating to that user can also be included in parameters associated with the hyperlink. Next, the user clicks on a button associated with the query form to pass the personal identifying information to a real-time messaging server, which generates a request for an on-line meeting or teleconference, and provides the meeting request to one or more other specified users. Because the meeting request includes some or all of the information entered on the query form and included in the hyperlink parameters, the specified users can decide whether or not to join an on-line meeting or teleconference with the prospective participant based at least in part on the information provided.