Web-Enabled Conferencing and Meeting Implementations with Flexible User Calling Features

Abstract

Meeting and conferencing systems and methods are implemented in a variety of manners. Consistent with an embodiment of the present disclosure, a meeting system is implemented that includes a computer server arrangement that is configured to provide a web-accessible virtual-meeting interface. Meeting scheduling data is received from the virtual meeting interface. The meeting scheduling data includes participant identifying information and meeting time information for a primary meeting. In response to the meeting time information and the participant identifying information, audio connections are established for participants of the primary meeting. Merged audio from the established audio connections is provided to the participants. The participants of the primary meeting are provided with an option to establish a secondary meeting for which a subset of audio connections is established for the subset of the participants. Merged audio from the subset audio connections is provided to the subset of participants.

1 . A meeting system comprising:
 a computer server arrangement including at least one processor, the computer server arrangement configured to:
 provide a web-accessible virtual-meeting interface; 
 receive meeting scheduling data from the virtual meeting interface, the meeting scheduling data including participant identifying information and meeting time information for a primary meeting; 
 establish, in response to the meeting time information and the participant identifying information, audio connections for participants of the primary meeting; 
 merge audio from the established audio connections; 
 provide the merged audio to the participants over the established audio connections; 
 provide, to the participants of the primary meeting, an option to establish a secondary meeting; 
 establish, in response to receiving a selection of the option to establish the secondary meeting and an indication of a participant subset of the participants of the primary meeting, subset audio connections for the subset of the participants; 
 merge audio from the subset audio connections; and 
 provide the merged audio from the subset audio connections to the participant subset over the established audio connections. 
   
     
     
         2 . The meeting system of  claim 1 , wherein the computer server arrangement is further configured to allow participants to move between the primary meeting and the secondary meeting in response to selections provided from the web-accessible virtual meeting interface. 
     
     
         3 . The meeting system of  claim 1 , wherein the web-accessible virtual-meeting interface includes an interface portion that lists one or more secondary meetings and provides options for the participants to join the primary and secondary meetings. 
     
     
         4 . The meeting system of  claim 1 , wherein the computer server arrangement is further configured to implement the secondary meeting as a private meeting that is not shared with participants other than those of the subset of the participants. 
     
     
         5 . The meeting system of  claim 1 , wherein the computer server arrangement is further configured to add participants other than the participants of the primary meeting to the secondary meeting. 
     
     
         6 . The meeting system of  claim 1 , wherein the computer server arrangement is further configured to return the subset of the participants back to the primary meeting in response to the secondary meeting completing. 
     
     
         7 . The meeting system of  claim 1 , wherein the computer server arrangement is further configured to share video content between the participants of the primary meeting. 
     
     
         8 . A meeting system comprising:
 a computer server arrangement including at least one processor, the computer server arrangement configured to:
 provide a web-accessible virtual meeting interface; 
 receive meeting scheduling data from the virtual meeting interface, the meeting scheduling data including participant identifying information and meeting time information; 
 establish, in response to the meeting time information and the participant identifying information, audio connections for participants of the meeting; 
 merge audio from the established audio connections; 
 provide the merged audio to the participants over the established audio connections; 
 provide, to the participants of the meeting, an option to distribute meeting content; and 
 establish, in response to receiving a selection of the option to distribute meeting content, a multicast stream that includes the merged audio. 
   
     
     
         9 . The meeting system of  claim 7 , wherein the computer server arrangement is further configured to configure a participant-operated computer to establish a multicast stream that includes the merged audio. 
     
     
         10 . The meeting system of  claim 7 , wherein the computer server arrangement is further configured to publish an internet protocol address for the multicast stream. 
     
     
         11 . The meeting system of  claim 7 , wherein the computer server arrangement is further configured to include meeting content in the multicast stream in response to selection of the meeting content by a participant. 
     
     
         12 . The meeting system of  claim 7 , wherein the computer server arrangement is further configured to allow a participant to add content to the multicast stream that is not shared as part of the meeting. 
     
     
         13 . The meeting system of  claim 7 , wherein the computer server arrangement is further configured to allow a meeting organizer to prevent one or more meeting participants from establishing a multicast stream using the option to distribute meeting content. 
     
     
         14 . The meeting system of  claim 7 , wherein the computer server arrangement is further configured to
 provide, to the participants of the meeting, an option to establish a secondary meeting;   establish, in response to receiving a selection of the option to establish the secondary meeting and an indication of a subset of the participants of the participants of the meeting, subset audio connections for the subset of the participants; and   provide content of the secondary meeting as a secondary multicast stream.